Dorothy Dexter “Dee” or “DeeDee” Smith, beloved mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend, passed away on May 3, 2024, in Metairie, Louisiana, at the home of her daughter, Leslie, and son-in-law, Lionel, at the age of 87 (though she wouldn’t admit it).
She was born on November 20, 1936 in Philadelphia, PA but grew up in New Kensington, PA. As a teenager, she moved to Baton Rouge, LA where she graduated from University High and attended LSU for college.
While at LSU, Dee met and fell in love with James Whittington who was earning a Master’s Degree in Chemistry. Their first son, Jim, was born during this time on her birthday. Mr. Whittington went on to earn a PhD in Anthropology from Tulane University, with their daughter, Leslie, being born while they lived in New Orleans. While married to Mr. Whittington, Dee and the family lived all over the United States as well as in Central and South America, including a year and a half in Quibdo, Columbia and another year and half in San Salvador, El Salvador. Dee enjoyed her time as a faculty wife at Iowa State University, Eastern Illinois University, and Florida State University. It was in Tallahassee that their third child, Jeffrey, was born. After her divorce from Mr. Whittington, Dee and her children returned to Baton Rouge to be close to her mom and younger brother, Dean, and his wife, Kelly. These were difficult years, but she persevered and worked hard to support her family as a single mom of three.
Eventually, Dee was recruited to move to Stevens Point, WI to work for Sentry Insurance, rising to become a Disability Benefits Claims Manager. She spent many successful years in Stevens Point and while there, fell in love and married Norman Zakrzewski. She loved being a part of Norman’s amazing family and made many friends in Point. She and Norman eventually divorced, and Dee and son Jeff moved to Marin County, CA. This was a happy move for her and later in life often spoke of returning there. After several years and a hard fought battle with breast cancer (which she won resoundingly), Dee moved to Dallas to continue her insurance career, and then back home to Louisiana to be close to her daughter and family. In New Orleans again, she turned her affinity for people into a successful health and life insurance business. She was very involved with her grandchildren and enjoyed a full life with friends and dogs in her home in Lakeview. Unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina displaced her again, and she experienced a great deal of tragedy during this time. After several more moves, including back to California near her son Jeff (where she had to evacuate due to wildfires), then to Shreveport, LA before finally returning to New Orleans again and settling in Metairie. She made many new friends during this time and enjoyed a strong social life, as she had done through all phases of her life. Sadly, in her later years dementia began to steal her away, and she lived her last years quietly at the home of her daughter, Leslie. “GiGi” still loved spending time with her family, especially getting to know her great-grandchildren.
Dee had an eclectic relationship with religion (including joining the Catholic Church when she married Norman), but eventually returned home to the Episcopal Church. She was a member of Grace Episcopal in the years prior to Katrina and joined the Vestry. In the years before she passed, she found a spiritual home at St. Augustine Episcopal. She was the Social Chair at Delta Gamma Sorority while at LSU and loved being a DG; she was a proud and wildly successful member of Toastmasters while living in San Francisco (with several large trophies to show for it) and continued this affiliation during her time in New Orleans. She loved to tell stories and loved helping others become better public speakers. Dee greatly enjoyed the time she spent with others, as she made friends wherever she went. She made it a point to stay in touch with friends and family no matter how distant.
Dee was an enigma. She loved books, movies, murder mysteries, true crime dramas, dogs, and most of all, people. She brought in strays, both canine and human. She loved to talk and laugh and make people laugh and raise people's eyebrows. She was known for her big earrings and always changing hair color. She was complex and confusing and frustrating. She was both a chameleon and a butterfly. In the words of her nephew Stewart, “She was full of flaws. She was full of life. She made her own way. The world will never see her equal again.”
Dee is preceded in death by her first husband of 16 years, James Whittington; second husband of 6 years, Norman Zakrzewski, with whom she remained friends; parents, William Rowland Smith and Eleanor Frances Lewis Smith; sister, Deborah R. Smith Philippi; brother-in-law, Jay Philippi; and her beloved dogs, Laddie, Paubet, Hudson, Dexter, Chewbacca, and Stella Dallas.
She is survived by her brother, Dean Rowland Smith (Kelly Cousins Smith); daughter, Leslie Whittington Adams (Lionel Adams); sons, James Whittington, III and Jeffrey Stewart Whittington (Erica Whittington); grandchildren, Joshua Whittington, Danielle Whittington, Viveca Whittington, Sarah Whittington, Matthew Whittington, Alexandra Adams Sockell (Jonathan Sockell), L. David Adams (Grace Adams), Maggie Adams Slepicka (James Slepicka), and Emily Adams; great-grandchildren, Hannah Adams, Ben Adams, August Adams, Charlotte Slepicka, Rex Sockell, Juno Sockell, and Nova Sockell. She is also survived by her beloved nieces and nephews (and great-nieces and -nephews), Jay Phillippi, Guy Phillippi, Todd Phillippi, Erin Smith Ponzi, Stewart Smith, Kristen Smith Boessling, Kathleen Smith Weller (Jonathan), Rion Phillippi, Max Phillippi, Nicky Phillippi, Debbie Phillippi, Jesica Phillippi Duncan, Taylor Phillippi, Jordan Phillippi, John “Tre” Ponzi, Braylon Ponzi,Lainey Ponzi, Dean Smith, Mia Weller, Rashid Galadanzi, Tom Zakrzewski and Ann Zakrzewski, and her cousins Priscilla Starratt and Robert Starratt.
The family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Onyewuchi at JenCare for taking such good care of her in her last years. She loved seeing him and his nurse Carrie Juhas. In addition, Visiting Angels was diligent in providing sitters for Dee, especially Michelle Tompson who cared for her so beautifully in the last months of her life. We would also like to thank Heart of Hospice and the nurses and CNAs who helped Dee (and her family) as she became increasingly frail.
To all the friends who loved her, laughed with her, watched movies with her, ate her food, enjoyed her company, received unconditional love and support and endless conversation and phone calls from her: You are remembered.
At this time, Dee’s service is being finalized, and the updated information will be posted once available.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.6