Born on May 11, 1907. Her mother Berthe nee Arnoux, was 23 and her father Ernest Girard was 27.
She was grown up at Reillanne (Basses Alpes, France). The family house had a workshop and two stories as dwellings.
She was 7 when WWI breaks out. Her father went fighting. He came back the year of her 11s. Her mother was 31 and brought her children up alone during 4 years. She was the eldest. Her sister Numancia (feminine of Numa, her mother's brother) was 4 and her brother Bertin, 1.
With her sister, she bred silkworms and learned how to embroider.
She was 14 at her grandfather's death, Michel Girard.
She took primary education then went to Manosque, with her sister Numancia. She worked as a kindergarten teacher at the Saint-Charles' institution.
She met her intended in a dance, at Berthe's wedding, her cousin of Valensole -she was marrying Louis, the intended's brother!- He was wearing his full dress military uniform. On September 6, she married Francois Mélone, of Italian origin. She was 23, he was her elder for 2 years.
On July 27, 1931, she gave life to a boy, Jacky, at Reillanne. She followed her husband, a career soldier, first to Tunisia where their second child, Henri, was born on January 9, 1934, in Medenine, then to Senegal where a third boy, Jean-Pol, was born on December 18, 1937, in Saint-Louis. Return to France at the military base of Fréjus, on the French riviera. WWII was declared. At that news, she took refuge at Reillanne, with her mother. That's where her daughter was born on September 16, 1939. When he learned that, her husband got to her in secret. They were to name her for their homeland: France... new departure to Dakar. A son Bernard was born on August 10, 1942. In October, it became too dangerous to stay there: she was rapatriated. She departed alone with her 5 children: Jacky was 11, Henri 8, Jean-Pol 5, France 3 and Bernard 2 months in the boat! She arrived at Marseille which was occupied by German troops; her brother Bertin came take her. Her parents took her in. Then she lived in a house on the village square. Her sister, who ran a milliner's shop (she learned the job in Marseille) and whose fiancé was a prisoner, often lent her a hand. The children stayed so 5 years without their dad.
Her husband, demobilized, arrived at Toulon on July 23, 1946. They went pick him up at the barracks. He arrived in a jeep! she was 39, he was 41! Jacky celebrated his 15th birthday four days later, Henri was 12, Jean-Pol soon 9, France soon 7 and Bernard very soon 4. They were separated 5 years! Of their reunion was born a fith son, Gérard, on May 7, 1947 at Reillanne, then 4 years later on May 20, 1951, a second daughter, Marie-Chantal, who died 5 months later on October 16, 1951.
When her daughter got married, she was 53, her husband 55. A year later, came her granddaughter , Nathalie. When their grandson Jean-Marc was born, they were 57 and 59 ans.
She lost her husband on October 8, 1980. She was then 73. She was living alone, at the Cai, on a field that her grandfather, Michel Girard, had purchased, and which were given her by her father Ernest Girard. Later she took in her sister Numancia and her brother Bertin, widowers too under her roof.
Feeling tired, she finaly decided to retire into an old people's home in Manosque with her sister Numancia. She appreciated to be able to take care of herself and to be serviced. She enjoyed that rest.
She died from the after-effects of an attack after more than 10 years widowhood on February 26, 1991.
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