Ethel Mae Smith Duplechain

She was born February 14, 1921, to parents Raymond Smith and Cecelia Duhon Smith in Mermentau Cove, Louisiana, with Acadian blood running through her veins. As a child her family moved to Lake Charles. After her retirement from the Calcasieu Parish Schoolboard office, she and her husband "Dupe" spent several years at Toledo Bend.

Always busy, she quilted, crocheted, embroidered, made dolls, and took up oil painting and winning several awards. She at one time was a member of the Grandlake Homemakers club, Red Hat Society, Senior Social, Friendship Club, Henry Heights exercise classes and CCOA Senior center. Her travels included the states of Alaska, California, Missouri, Texas, Hawaii, Niagara Falls New York, Las Vegas, Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, New Mexico, Colorado and Oklahoma and Virginia. Her travels outside the U.S. include Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, England and she travelled to Australia at the age of 80. She was a member of Boulevard Baptist Church and Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband of more than 50 years, Maurice J. Duplechain, in 1994. Her middle daughter Jan died on October 10, 2011. Her oldest daughter Donna died November 14, 2015. Her siblings who have passed are Newton Smith, Viola S. Dyess, Roy Smith, Effie S. McCain, Lawrence Smith, Lorena S. Murphy Benoit and POW Clifford Smith.

She is survived by her youngest daughter Libby D. Treadway (Ralph}. Her grandchildren are Kayla Ezelle Young(Bucky), Mika Moreau Denton, Casey Moreau of Oklahoma, Nikki Ezelle Williams(David} of Calabasas, California, and her favorite grandchild Donnie Lamberson. Her great grandchildren are Myann and Mathieu Denton, Nicholas and Cameron Young, Parker, Carter and Windsor Nicole Williams of Calabasas, California, Corey Moreau of Oklahoma and one great-great grandchild of Oklahoma. She is also survived by one brother, Hammas Ray Smith (Billie). Mother will be loved forever and deeply missed by all.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, December 20, 2016 at Hixson Funeral Home of Lake Charles from 4pm-7pm and will resume on Wednesday from noon until service time at 2pm at the funeral home. Burial will be at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.hixsonfuneralhomes.com.