Date of Birth: 9 December 1964
Date of Death: 17 May 2025 (Aged 60)
Birth Family: GOULD, L.S.
Descendent Family: JOHNSON, James W.
Gigi: some memories
by her sister, Mandy Ferguson
I can’t remember exactly how old I was when I started nagging Mum about wanting a little baby brother or sister – most likely sister. Maybe around 8? So there was great excitement when Gigi finally arrived, when I was around 11 and a half years old. I think she was a surprise, one of a few born in our very small street at that time. Hmm! A mystery there!
Gigi was born Giannina Miranda Gould on the 9th of December, 1964 at 6.22 pm in Melbourne Australia. Measuring 20 inches in length and weighing in at 8 and a half pounds, she was a well-rounded baby with a shock of black hair. A lively little baby, she was a bit difficult to settle at night. My job was to walk around and around and around the kitchen island bench, holding her and singing softly in her ear. I used to pretend, to myself, that she was my baby.
Gigi took to the water straight away and was a real water baby. It was always a delight to see her splashing in the local pool or frolicking in the sea. She continued this through her life, spending a number of her teenage years in a swimming training squad and competing in swimming carnivals. She very much enjoyed staying with the Fergusons at our beach property, catching up with the children who she dearly loved. Gigi twice competed in an ocean swim of 0.75 of a mile in the Pier to Pub race in Lorne, where we live.
Dancing was another activity that Gigi really took to, learning ballet, jazz ballet, contemporary dance and folk dancing at the National Theatre Ballet School and later at the Victorian College of the Arts. One of my fondest memories is of a little blondie, around 5 years old, dressed in a full, colourful skirt that Mum made, spinning and twirling to Mum’s Greek dancing music – full of the joy of Spring! After secondary education, Gigi studied a course in Notation or Choreology at the VCA and studied in London and Europe to extend her qualifications. For a short while she worked with the Australian Ballet Company. Gigi also had some ice-skating lessons for a short time.
A great lover of the Australian bush, Gigi loved Aussie animals, birds and plants. When visiting home, she would always take a number of bush walks to rejuvenate her spirit. I know she always missed Australia and her family very deeply, and she always kept up with Australian politics and events, communicating with her Aussie Facebook friends. She was very interested in Indigenous affairs. When I heard that she was travelling to New York I thought, “Give it 2 years … 3 tops!” I didn’t think she could ever leave her home country, but the allure of New York proved to be too strong.
Gigi’s next stage of her life involved meeting J W Johnson, getting married and having her beautiful boy Cameron Hugh Powell Johnson. She truly devoted herself to being a mother, engaging in many activities to inspire and develop her young son.
Later, when there was more time available when Cam went to school, Gigi engaged in further study of Anatomy and became a Pilates instructor, a personal trainer and a dance teacher.
I always admired Gigi’s strength of character, her dedication, her doggedness and her will. She always took such great care of herself – mind, body and soul – which makes her health problems so difficult to understand. It’s been so unfair! More recent times, particularly, have been very difficult and sad, for all the family. I don’t know quite how to “move on”, as people currently say. In life, you’re not supposed to lose your baby sister! And a young man is not supposed to lose his Mum! And a loving, dedicated husband is not supposed to lose his wife!
Fly high, Gigi!
By Jasmine De Milliano, Gigi’s niece
Dear Gigi,
There aren’t really words that will do justice to what you mean to me in this moment, but I will give it a try. Being so far away and being unable to be there right now to give you a hug and to hold your hand, I hope this letter can make you feel that I am there with you all in spirit. There are so many emotions that I am going through right now: sadness most of all, but also anger and regret. I am so sad and angry that cancer has done this to you. It is so unfair. I regret that I haven’t made it over to the US to see you, and Jay and Cam, and the life you have had there. I regret that we haven’t had more time together. But my sadness and regret are not yours to hold. My love and my gratitude and my memories are what I want to focus on, and I want to share some of those with you.
Like Emma said, Aunty Gigi was always our favourite. You were the young, cool and talented one. You were almost like a big sister in some ways as you always had so much energy to play with us. I remember you were always so tiny to hug, but your hugs were always so strong! When Emma and I grew taller than you, you could still lift us up when you cuddled us around the middle. And you would laugh! Such a big, unabashed laugh! And, I remember sitting with you and just being transfixed by the beauty of your hair, so long and flowing. I wished so much to have your hair.
When you met us in England and we ran through the grass in the campsite and Mum was worried you would wear me out because I had just got my period. I was so cross with Mum for saying it out loud.
When I answered the front door on my 18th birthday (very tired and hungover from my friend’s party the night before) and there you were – a surprise visitor from overseas, especially here for my birthday. I am sorry I didn’t give you the reaction you had hoped for – I really was very queezy! It meant so much to me that you would fly home to see me turn 18.
I remember the watch you gave me once, a beaded one that I had to make out of a kit. “A little weird” I thought at the time, but later realised you were always eclectic with your fashion tastes and I proudly wore it everywhere and told everyone where I got it from.
I remember you stretching…all the time! I remember you getting Jay to help crack your back and it freaking Mum out.
I remember you and Jay taking Emma and I out for lunch on Chapel Street once. Jay ordered oysters and then you were asking the waitress whether the spinach on the menu was “baby spinach”. I thought, who are these people and what do they eat!?
One of my most fond memories, was one time in Lorne when Cam was little. You had put him to bed and we were all relaxing in the house (old Nalangil house) as Mum knitted. I think we were watching TV (which was unusual in and of itself there!). You pulled out a bag of chips (and I never saw you eat chips!!) and you were eating them and laughing so hard at the show on the TV. You and Jay looked so happy together on the couch sharing chips and laughing. It really stuck in my memory as a time of pure joy and contentment.
I don’t know where to finish this letter now. I just want to go on remembering all the times we spent together and telling you how you have left such an irreplaceable mark on my life. I want you to know how in awe we are of your strength and courage, now and always. I want to say thankyou for everything: your generosity, your curiosity, your support and your love. I hope you know how much we love you.
Love always,
Jas