Minnie Smith

SUNSET A Mass of Christian Burial for Mrs. Minnie Lee Mills Smith will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. at LafondArdoin Funeral Home of Opelousas. Reverend Monsignor Keith DeRouen will celebrate the mass.

Visitation will be held on Friday, May 6, 2011, from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at LafondArdoin Funeral Home with a Rosary at 7 p.m. and on Saturday, May 7, 2011, from 9:00 a.m. until services at 1:00 p.m. The interment will take place at St. Landry Cemetery in Opelousas.

Mrs. Smith, age 93, a resident of Sunset died Friday, April 1, 2011 at her residence after a brief illness. Mrs. Smith was a teacher in the St. Landry Parish school system for 35 and 12 years including stops at Port Barre High School, South Street Elementary, Market Street School, Sunset High School and Sunset Elementary. Her teaching career began when she was only 18 years old, and through the years of teaching she made quite an impact on the education of thousands of St. Landry Parish youths. She was the last living child of prominent St. Landry Parish farmer and planter Robert Lee Mills and Eve Lavergne Mills. Mrs. Smith was a graduate of Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Opelousas, with an Associates Degree in Education from the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, and a Bachelors Degree in Education from Southwestern Louisiana Institute in Lafayette, LA. She was an active member of the Catholic Daughters, the ShutesonLewisburg Volunteer Fire Department, Ladys Auxiliary and the American Legion Auxiliary.

Survivors include her son, Brad Smith and wife, Rebecca, of Sunset daughters, Joy Smith Barber and husband, Rick, of Opelousas, and Chiz Smith Fontenot and husband, Leroy, of Sunset six grandchildren: Bradford, Cory, Bethany, Reese and David Smith and Emili Fontenot and numerous nieces and nephews that she loved dearly.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Robert Lee Mills and Eve Lavergne Mills husband, Bradford L. Smith sisters, Marie Louise Tully and husband, Billy Tully Lucille Chachere and husband, Lorenzo Bro Chachere Odile Smith and husband, Semour and Rita DeJean and husband, Joe brothers, Theo Mills and wife, Lena Robert L. Mills and wife, Clothilde.

Pallbearers will be Bradford Smith, Cory Smith, Emili Fontenot, Claude Chachere, Gerald Janise and Rick Barber. Honorary Pallbearer will be Billie Tully.

LafondArdoin Funeral Home of Opelousas has been entrusted with the arrangements 2845 South Union Street, Opelousas, LA, 337 9422638.

Visitation

Lafond Ardoin Funeral Home
2845 S. Union Street
Opelousas, LA  70570
Friday, May 6, 2011
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Service

Funeral Home Service

LafondArdoin Funeral Home Chapel
2845 S. Union Street
Opelousas, LA  70570
Saturday, May 7, 2011
1:00 p.m.

Cemetery

St. Landry Catholic Church Cemetery
1020 N. Main St.
Opelousas, LA  70570