She was born in Lake Charles, LA to parents Ray and Ethel Champagne on October 14, 1957.
Dee started dancing at the age of 3 and went on to cheer at her time at McNeese State University. She began teaching at Our Lady Catholic School in Sulphur, LA and eventually moved on to St. Louis High School where she taught at for nearly 30 years. During her time at St. Louis Catholic High School she worked in many positions from a Physical Education Teacher, to Physical Science, to Biology, and eventually becoming the Dean of Students. She began coaching the St. Louis Sweethearts in the spring of 1990 and would dance alongside them as they trained; she could do splits and backflips even in her 50s. She became a National Choreographer and would travel coaching and composing dances for national competitions. She loved to travel visiting other states. She visited many places with some of her favorites being Canada, Mexico, Arkansas, and Mississippi. On every trip Dee was sure to stop at a Dairy Queen in tradition of traveling along the way. In her later years, she could be found at home on any given Sunday with her husband Tommy and her Beau-Dog right by her side. Dee had a way of bringing people together and would always be there for every event for her grandchildren from birthdays to dance recitals. Dee was so full of love and there are not enough words to describe how wonderful of a person she was and how much love she had to give.
Those left to cherish her memory are her loving husband of 25 years Thomas Butts; sons, Wesley Broussard and wife Paula of DeRidder, LA, and Alex Broussard and wife Stephanie of Westlake, LA; daughter Sarah Beth Johnson and husband Gabe of Sulphur, LA; brother Keith Champagne and wife Diane of Moss Bluff, LA; stepson Jeremey Butts and partner Lihn Nguyen of Houston, TX; stepdaughters, Liz Long and husband Zane of Moss Bluff, LA, Angie Burke and husband Larry of Virginia, and Cynthia Ogea and husband Michael of Lake Charles, LA; and her 14 grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents Ray and Ethel Champagne.
A visitation will be held at Hixson Funeral Home in Lake Charles, LA on Thursday March 31, 2022 starting at 4 pm until 8 pm with a rosary at 6 pm. Visitation will resume Friday at 8 am until the time of service at 1 pm.
Fond memories and words of sympathy may be shared with the family at www.hixsonfuneralhome.com.
The family would like to give a special thanks to staff in the ICU at Tulane Medical Center and Memorial Hospital for the care and support during the difficult time.
The memory and love of Mrs. Dee will live on in a Sweethearts Endowed Scholarship. To make a donation to the Sweethearts Scholarship honoring Mrs. Dee, please visit: https://www.slchs.org/giving/st-louis-catholic-foundation.cfm. or send a check to
St. Louis Catholic Foundation. 1620 Bank Street. Lake Charles, LA 70601 .
Please call 337-494.0724 with any questions.
