Ann Marie Gaule

Ann Marie Gaule passed away peacefully on July 28, 2017 at her residence in Melbourne, Florida, after an extended illness. She was "extra cheerful" that morning, but passed away suddenly and unexpectedly with no sign of pain or suffering, as witnessed by her wonderful Caregiver, Marcella Lowery. She is now "absent from the body, and face-to-face with the Lord." Ann was born on May 11, 1963 to John and Ann Milbourne at Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cocoa Beach, Florida. She grew up during her first few years in Satellite Beach, Florida, and then moved to different locations throughout the country with her family. Her father was an engineer with NASA. Ann's mother was a nurse and homemaker, and both of her parents were extremely gracious and mature believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. Ann excelled during two years of college, but decided to apply for a Federal Law Enforcement position while her father was working in the Washington D.C. area. She completed training and became a member of the United States Capitol Police. She volunteered for and received "special unit" training in helping to protect Members of Congress, employees and visitors, as well as the buildings and grounds from crime, riots, and disruption. She got to know many Senators and State Representatives, and was an armed plain-clothes police woman during one of Ronald Reagan's State of the Union speeches. She met David Gaule during his first tour of duty at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. They met at her parent's home where they hosted a Bible Study group using a live telephone hookup (FX) with Berachah Church, in Houston, Texas. David had been with Berachah since 1978, and Ann since she was a child. David and Ann would meet again a few years later, during his second tour at Walter Reed, and after Ann had completed her Federal Law Enforcement training. They met at an FX Bible study group with Berachah, this time hosted by a family in Arlington, Virginia. David and Ann were married on July 16, 1988 at Patrick Air Force Base, and after their honeymoon, proceeded to their first duty station as a married couple. They enjoyed San Antonio, Texas, and attended Bible classes with a Berachah FX group there. From the beginning, Ann was a wonderful homemaker with a zest for life, interior design, antiques, books, and traveling. She found great joy in delving into the history of the places they were stationed. Her 29 year marriage with David was full of travels and adventure as they proceeded to new duty stations in Georgia, Hawaii, and finally in El Paso, Texas. As God would have it, El Paso also had a Berachah FX study group. During their travels, they developed life-long friendships with believers associated with Berachah in Washington D.C., San Antonio, and El Paso. Ann was a voracious reader and collector of rare, autographed books and memorabilia, particularly those concerning WWII. David retired from the Army in 2001, and they returned to Ann's "home town," of Melbourne/Satellite Beach, where she enjoyed being with her parents, four siblings and their children. Again, God provided an FX, hosted by her parents. Enjoying many years with her family, she became interested in the history of her uncle (her mother's brother), 1st Lt Maurice P. Alger, Jr. (Algie). He was an outstanding young Army officer. He was killed in action about six weeks after the D-Day invasion in the city of St. Lo, France. Ann, a very skilled history researcher, personally organized a remembrance trip of a lifetime, retracing the steps of her uncle in Europe. Ann, her husband, and mother enjoyed the tour which took them to England, Ireland, Scotland, and France. Her mother was able to visit the grave of her brother and see his beautiful final resting place. He lies in a place of great honor along with 9,386 others in the 172 acre Normandy-American Cemetery which is on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach as seen in the movie "Saving Private Ryan." Almost all buried there were part of the Normandy invasion or the combat that followed. This continued to be a big part of Ann's life, and she was able to research, travel, and visit to conduct personal interviews with surviving members of Maurice's unit, the 654th Tank Destroyer Battalion. Ann was a very compassionate person and had a special love for animals. She continuously fed and watered the birds, squirrels, rabbits, and other animals that would visit her backyard. She would find delight in watching them through the extra wide sliding glass doors of her lake-view family room. Inside she pampered her two cats, Latte' and Lexi, and her two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Levi and Max. Ann was preceded in death by her parents John Clifford Milbourne, and Ann Elizabeth Milbourne of Satellite Beach. Ann is survived by her husband, Lt. Col. David Gaule, US Army Retired, her sister Barbara Grieb and husband Naz, her brother John M. Milbourne and spouse Kelly Sullivan, John's former spouse Melinda Milbourne and daughter Rachel Milbourne, her brother Gary L. Milbourne and former spouse Sue Milbourne, her brother Keith L. Milbourne, her nephew Hal Grieb and spouse Ashley, her nephew Michael Milbourne, nephew Tommy Milbourne and spouse Jen, niece Nadia Grieb, niece Lila Grieb, and three great nieces and three great nephews. Ann's wishes were to be cremated. As a book-lover, her ashes will be with her husband always, in an exquisite solid brass urn in the shape of a very large book. The urn is an exact match to her mother's and father's. A private memorial will be held at the Gaule residence on Sunday, August 6th, at 3:00 pm. The address is 4055 Estancia Way, Melbourne, Florida, 32934. A wounded warrior and retired Army Captain, Reverend Blaine Hooper will preside. Following his injuries and lengthy recovery, Blaine was ordained at Berachah Church in Houston Texas, and is now a Missionary to the Congo. In lieu of flowers, the husband requests that any donations be forwarded to support Blaine's missionary work in the Congo. The web address is hbmin.org/donate. Go to the drop down: personal support, Blaine Hooper. Or mail a check to Hope Builders Ministries, PO Box 317 Greenwood VA 22943,"for Blaine Hooper." A second option is to donate to Berachah Church, 2815 Sage Road, Houston, Texas, 77056 Ann's life was centered around Bible doctrine. So, in closing, we wish to honor God's grace provision for anyone who is seeking Bible teaching. A comprehensive collection of accurate Bible study materials is available, always free of charge and always without obligation or solicitation. Simply go to the website, Berachah.org, or call the Church at (713) 622-6922. Bible Passage - 22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For, "All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever." 1 Peter 1:22-25