Evelyn Smith Duperier, a lifelong resident of Beaumont, Texas, passed on October 14, 2015, after a brief illness. In November 2013, she celebrated her 90th birthday surrounded by family and friends at a tea in her honor.
Born in 1923 in Beaumont, Evelyn attended schools in Beaumont and graduated from Lamar with an associate degree. While at Lamar, she won the Weed Award for essay on world peace. She worked in Washington, DC in personnel for the United States Marine Corps then working for Douglas Aircraft in Los Angeles before returning to Beaumont and working in the travel industry for an office that was in Hotel Beaumont. It is there that fate would have her meet the “love of her life”, Billy C. Duperier. They were married in the first location of what is now Wesley United Methodist Church. Evelyn and Billy were fortunate to participate in many activities at Wesley and she celebrated the 100th anniversary with many members.
A devoted wife, mother, and friend, she always put family first. She and her husband of 63 years, Billy, spent many years entertaining both at their home in Beaumont and their lake house at Toledo Bend. After his retirement in 1982 and until his death in 2009, they enjoyed many great trips both in the United States and abroad. They were most excited to visit their daughter, Dianne, while living in Charlottesville, Virginia, Corpus Christi, and Houston. Equally exciting were their visits to Legacy Ranch in Weimar, Texas, where they visited their son, Craig, his wife, Sharon, and grandson, Roland.
She leaves her daughter, Dianne Duperier of Beaumont; son, W. Craig Duperier and his wife, Sharon, and grandson, Roland Guthrie, all of Weimer; brother, Forrest Smith and his wife, Martha, of Dallas; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Evelyn is preceded in death by her husband, Billy; sister, Margy Smith Akers; grandson, James Daniel Middleton; and numerous other relatives.
A Memorial Service and Celebration of the Life of Evelyn Smith Duperier will be at 1:00 p.m., Friday, October 30, 2015, at Wesley United Methodist Church, 3810 North Major Drive, Beaumont, with a gathering to follow her service in the church parlor. Her cremation arrangements were handled under the direction of Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Wesley United Methodist Church, 3810 North Major Drive, Beaumont, Texas 77713 or to Champion Kids Camp at www.championskidscamp.org.
