Audrey Busbee Brou

Mrs. Audrey Busbee Brou passed peacefully from this life on January 12th, 2016, in Ocean Springs at the age of 94. Audrey is survived by her sister-in-law, Capt. (Ret.) Claire Brou; children, Edward “Joe” Brou, Caroline Gautier, Valerie Brou, and Gregory Brou, all of Ocean Springs and Julie Brou Comer (JR) from Fleming Island, Fl., eight grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren, with another on the way. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lloyd C. Busbee, Sr. and Rose Smith Busbee of Mobile, Ala., her brothers, Lloyd Jr. and John “Jack” Busbee also of Mobile, her husband, Ocean Springs native Edward J. Brou, Sr., and dear friends, Mercedes Hall, Betty Fallo, Julie Love, and Jean Riley, all of Ocean Springs. “MeMe,” as she was affectionately dubbed by her first-born grandson about five decades ago, was born on January 11th, 1922 in Mobile, Ala. to Lloyd and Rose Busbee. She graduated from Convent of Mercy Academy in 1940 and soon after, married Ed who worked alongside her brother, Lloyd, at the Alabama Drydock & Shipbuilding Company. As WWII called, Ed became an officer in the Army Air Corps and as with many military families, they moved several times throughout the country before settling back in Ocean Springs. The couple welcomed five children into their cozy home and Audrey set out to teach the kids life skills like competitive marble playing, yo-yo tricks, and cooking … specializing in grits with “all my love” stirred in, potato salad, pain perdu (a.k.a. French toast), and whatever seafood the kids or Ed caught that day. An accomplished bridge and card player, she often hosted bridge parties where everyone thoroughly enjoyed her shrimp salad and what were described as the best ladyfinger cookies on the coast. She was a generous, witty, and dedicated individual who loved life, family and friends, perfectly-cooked bacon and grits, making big tubs of potato salad for family trips to Ship Island, practical jokes, finding the King Cake baby, and the New Orleans Saints. She was an active and dedicated member of the St. Alphonsus catholic parish. Socially, she was a member of the Duchess Club and the Gulf Hills Women’s Golf Association and through the years held multiple officer positions including President. A visitation will be held at 10:30 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30 on Monday, January 18th 2016 at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Ocean Springs followed by interment at Evergreen Cemetery. A reception celebrating her life will be held at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Washington Avenue. Friends and family are welcome to attend. The Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in her honor to St. Alphonsus Catholic Church at 502 Jackson Ave, Ocean Springs, Miss. 39564.