With heavy hearts, the family of Marsilla “Bebe” Claire Forehand announces her passing. She was 96 when she died, and she lived every moment of her life to the absolute fullest.

Bebe was preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Diane Grindell; her parents, Johanna and Jacques Hofmann; her brother, Walter Hofmann; and her cousin, Sylvain Lidsky. She is survived by her equally beloved daughter, Vivian Haug; her son-in-laws, David Haug and David Golden; her son, Gavin Bell; her eleven grandchildren; and her five great-grandchildren.

Bebe’s life was marked by unyielding resilience and an unlimited capacity for love from the beginning. She was born in Antwerp, Belgium, on February 11, 1929. As was the case for many children with Jewish heritage of her generation, the Holocaust shaped Bebe’s childhood. She and her family were forced to hide from Nazi forces in an attic from 1942 to 1945, and Bebe became a member of the resistance at only 13. Her time in the attic ended when Belgium was liberated, but Bebe, then 16, was forever changed.

Bebe immigrated to the United States in 1955 with her first husband, Mike Nabarro. After exploring cities like New York and San Francisco, they settled down in Atlanta, where they welcomed twin daughters, Diane (Didi) and Vivian (Vicki) in 1959. Bebe went on to spend her early years in Atlanta with her second husband, Roy Forehand. She raised her daughters alongside Roy and her mother, who immigrated to the US to be with her. Didi and Vicki were the greatest loves of Bebe’s life, as anyone who spent time with the three of them could see.

Bebe also turned the friends she made in Atlanta into family, forging relationships that would last the rest of her life. She always showed up for the people she loved, and she taught her daughters to do the same. Bebe held fast to the lessons of her own childhood as she built a life in an American south still marred by Jim Crow. She questioned segregated public spaces, spoke out against injustice, approached everyone she met with an open heart, and showed her daughters the importance of equality whenever she could.

When she was 46, Bebe started over again after her second divorce. She got a job at Tiffany & Co. where she sold jewelry to corporate business accounts. In the over 20 years she worked there, Bebe’s colleagues became some of her closest friends, growing her chosen family even wider. Her son, Gavin Bell, entered her life around the same time, and he filled Bebe’s house with even more joy and love.

Bebe’s zest for life only seemed to get stronger as she aged. She made travel a priority, from annual trips to Belgium to adventures to Egypt. Bebe familiarized herself with every good French restaurant in Atlanta, and she became a fixture in the city’s community theater scene, with audiences finding that she was just as enchanting in character as she was as herself.

When her grandchildren came into her life, she reoriented her world to revolve around them. Bebe became Gammi, and she taught her grandchildren about classical music, a good cup of tea, table manners, Belgian chocolate, and the importance of knowing your family history. When Didi died in 2016, Bebe somehow grew even closer with Vicki and her grandchildren, offering steadfast love and support despite her own grief. Her great-grandchildren were the sweetest gift in the final chapter of her life.

Bebe’s greatest fear was that the horrors of the Holocaust would be forgotten and repeated. She spent her adult life speaking out about her own experience, educating others whenever she could. She spoke at schools throughout Georgia about her time in the attic, and in the final years of her life, she worked closely with the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum to share her story as widely as she could. It will be her family’s honor to make sure Bebe’s story is never forgotten, even if she is no longer living.

Bebe’s family would also like to express their gratitude for the healthcare workers who cared for her in the last years of her life. In tandem with Vicki, they ensured Bebe’s final days were full of dignity and joy.

To know Bebe was to be in awe of her. From her loving spirit to the fierce independence she held fast to until her dying breath, Bebe was a marvel. She spoke five languages, knew the ins and outs of fine jewelry, watched the news addictively, loved pastries with a passion, and was never afraid to question the status quo. Her loss will forever ache for all who knew her, but we are all far the better for having known her at all.

Information about a celebration of Bebe’s life will be forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, Bebe would be honored by any donations made to Feed the Heart in her memory. 

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