Marie’s Obituary A true champion of the faith with a servant’s heart completed this leg of her journey on the afternoon of March 6, 2019 when Marie Truett Smith peacefully passed away. Mrs. Smith died at home surrounded by her family who will remember her as a dutiful friend, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. In each of these roles, Marie was faithful to a fault and was a role model of consistency.
Her very identity was rooted in her love of her Lord and Savior, a love that permeated all aspects of her life. Known to many by her nickname that was given to her by an uncle who noticed her early skill at the game tiddley winks, “Winkie” was born on August 10, 1932 in Beaumont, TX. Winkie graduated from Beaumont High School in 1950 and went on to attend Lamar University where she was very active on campus as a cheerleader.
It was at Lamar where Winkie met the love of her life, Ikey Smith. After leaving Lamar, she worked at Magnolia Refinery until she and Ikey married and she joined him in Anchorage, Alaska where she worked for the Army. As an only child and having never lived away from home, this was a big step on top of marriage, but off they went!
These being the cold war years, much of the Army’s work was top secret and Marie’s character, and lightning fast typing skills, earned her top security clearance, making it possible for her to type many classified documents. Marie had stories to share about these years when she was often escorted to a “secret room” to work on such communications. After their time in Alaska, Winkie and Ikey returned to Beaumont and she returned to her work at the Magnolia Refinery.
Her association with the oil and gas industry was a recurring theme in her work life and she was a member of Desk and Derrick in Beaumont and later in Houston where she and Ikey lived with their two daughters, Kathy and Kellye, for many years. Oil and gas were not her only jobs as she was also employed by KTRM Country Radio in Beaumont and later KIKK Country Radio in Houston. Leaving radio after several years, Winkie returned to the oil industry and was employed by Cabot Corporation which manufactured drilling and overwork rigs.
Through it all, Marie was working alongside Ikey to establish a true working partnership in all things. Marie was always a “working mom” outside the home and Ikey never let the girls forget how much she contributed to the family by working. The result brought them to Youngsviille, LA in 1978 where they were co-owners of Well Servicing Equipment & Supply.
But the oil industry experienced many ups and downs in the market that resulted in Marie and Ikey having to adapt their plans and make another life altering change. They next moved to Odessa where her wealth of experience in oil and gas found her working at Anchors and Holes, yet another oil company. Winkie’s life changed forever upon the very early and unexpected death of Ikey after 36 years of marriage.
She returned to Youngsville, LA soon after his passing and it was her home for over 30 years. Buoyed by her deep faith, Marie became a pillar of her community and a fixture at Covenant Methodist Church where there was not a ministry that she did not participate in, coordinate, support, or at some point, lead. Whether it was a weekly meeting of Intercessors Prayer Team, Fellowship Sunday School Class, Wednesday Night Suppers or monthly meetings of Methodist Women, Marie was faithful and present.
Marie even supported the Pumpkin Patch the entire month of October, baking cookies and making sure tours for over 4000 school children were all successful. She considered each of these points of service merely a drop in the bucket of her gratitude for all that the Lord had done for her. She never hesitated to share her time, talents or treasure.
Marie Smith was a faithful mother who practiced unconditional love for both of her daughters and especially for her beloved grandson who she spent many loving days with. Michael was the apple of her eye and she was thrilled by the recent birth of his first son. Her legacy of love and witness of faith will live on far beyond her time here through all of her family.
But do not be fooled. Winkie had a competitive side to her personality. She loved bowling and won numerous trophies in all classes and divisions.
She loved to fish and would never let the big one get away. Ikey sometimes had to drive their boat away with her in it to get her to pull in the lines and stop fishing. A down to earth person, Winkie loved to grow vegetables in her garden, share her crop of veggies with others and cook up wonderful suppers for those she loved.
But there is no question that her greatest joy was in the success and happiness of her two daughters. Marie was a strong woman who raised equally strong daughters with whom she was well pleased and very proud. Winkie is survived by two daughters, Kathy Smith-Willman and husband Chad Willman of Austin, TX, Kellye Smith Mehlhaff and husband Danny Mehlhaff and one grandson Michael Ross Neal, wife Angelica Neal and great grandson Daniel Ross Neal, all of Youngsville, LA, She has one surviving uncle, Bruce Lackey and wife Darlene Lackey, several cousins in the Lackey families in Texas.
She was preceded in death by Ikey H. Smith, and parents Lena Mae Lackey Truett and Austin T. Truett, Jr. A Celebration of the life of Marie Smith is being planned by her family and will be announced at a later date. The family wishes to thank the wonderful caretakers of Griswold Home Health and the nurses from Hospice of Acadiana for all their exceptional care – these women are angels, truly. They request that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Hospice of Acadiana, (the area’s only non-profit Hospice), 2600 Johnston Street, Suite 200, Lafayette, LA 70503, or United Christian Outreach, a non-denominational charity that helps those in need with food, utilities, medications, and rent assistance, 422 Carmel Drive, Lafayette , LA70501.
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