Helen Theresa Matte-Pike, 87, was born on January 31, 1932. She is preceded in death by her parents, Clement Matte and Estelle LeDoux-Matte, her brother CJ Matte, two son-in-laws, Chad Horton and Eddie Tack and her husband, Ralph Raymond Pike. She and Ralph have five loving children: Barbara Horton-Pike, Michael Pike, his wife Tana, Jeffrey Pike, his wife, Gail; Mary Pike-Tack and Paul Pike, his wife Sarah; Six grandchildren: Brandon Clint Martin, Sara Pike, Kimberly Crain, Allison Pike, Michael Cody Pike, Sabrina Stoute; and eight great-grandchildren: Logan Taylor, Jacian Pichon, Xavier Ware, Julissa Pike, Isabel Pike, Nathaniel Cortez, Abel Stoute and Scarlett Stoute. She also has four surviving sisters, Rena Mae Fruge, Jean Soileau, Betty Collins, and Diane Wetherall.
Helen, or Nan-nan, as her sisters called her, grew up in Sweetlake, LA as a bona-fide Cajun (and was very proud of it) working in the fields with her dad at a very young age. She graduated with a class of 11 from Grand Lake School, 1 boy and 10 girls. For many years, they had a class reunion every year. After moving to Lake Charles, she met the love of her life, Ralph, while waitressing at the Post Office Café. They got married on February 2, 1952 and she remained a devoted wife for 67 years until he passed away on March 2, 2019.
Helen was always reading and loved to learn and try new things. She took a painting class, a cake decorating class, and in her 70’s went to McNeese and got a degree in horticulture. For several years she worked at a BBQ stand called Smokey Joe’s and, at times, she’d wake up her children to give them the ice cream that was left over from the day.
In her younger years, she and Ralph moved often while Ralph was serving in the military. She was introduced to Jehovah’s Witnesses while she was in England, being approached by two women who were going in the door-to-door ministry. She invited them in with the idea that she was going to correct them and teach them the Bible. However, Jehovah continued to draw Helen (John 6:44). He again found her while Ralph was stationed in San Antonio, TX, Fort Walton Beach, FL and finally in Sacramento, CA where she made great spiritual progress. After learning the truth about what the Bible really teaches, she decided to make her dedication to Jehovah and got baptized on November 11, 1973. When she wasn’t in her physical garden, she was doing what she loved most by being in the spiritual garden planting Kingdom seeds. Her willingness to volunteer wherever and whenever she was needed was second nature to her. During any needed relief work, she was always the first one there in the morning making sure “the coffee was on” for the friends. She also worked on the assembly hall in Rosenberg, TX. She and Ralph often “followed the course of hospitality” by opening their home to friends and family for meals, or for displaced hurricane victims. Helen’s entire life as one of Jehovah’s people was spent talking to others and sharing the good news about the Kingdom. The week before she went into the hospital, she attended a Bible study that was held in a nursing home. She will be greatly missed by all who dearly loved her! The Pike family would like to thank her friends and family for their loving support!
Visitation will be held Sunday, October 13, 2019 from 10am until time of service at Hixson Funeral Home Chapel in Lake Charles. Funeral services will be held at 2pm. Jerry Broussard of Jehovah's Witness will officiate.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hixsonfuneralhomes.com for the Pike family.
