Family Log-In

Click Here

Evelyn Marie Smith Hughes was born on August 18, 1926, and passed away at the age of 93 on August 26, 2019. Marie was born in Pineville, Louisiana, to James Edward Smith, Sr., and Mary Roshto Smith.

Marie graduated from Bolton High School in Alexandria, Louisiana in 1943. While at Bolton High School, she was active in the Pan American Club, the Newcomer's Club, the Home Economics Club, the Pep Squad, and the Bolton Athletic Association. Marie attended Louisiana College in Pineville, Lousiana for one year, majoring in Home Economics; however, from an early age, Marie knew that she had wanted to become a nurse.

After a year at Louisiana College, she attended the Baptist Hospital School of Nursing in Alexandria, Louisiana, and became a registered nurse. Although her graduating class was fully prepared to join in the war efforts in World War II, Marie graduated from Baptist Hospital School of Nursing after the war was over.

Her professional career began at the Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While working there, one of her best friends, also a nurse, introduced her on a blind date to a dashing, handsome young man from Winnfield, Louisiana, Arie Hughes.

Sparks flew when they first met, and one year later they were married.

Nine months after they were married, their first child, Carol Ann, was born on October 19, 1949. Two years later, on October 19, 1951, their second child, Connie Sue, was born. Carol and Connie were always the pride and joy of Marie and Arie.

Upon moving to Winnfield, Marie continued her nursing profession as a nurse for Dr. Vernon Martin at the Martin Hospital. Several years later, she accepted a nursing position at the Winn Parish Health Unit where she became the Parish Health Nurse until her retirement on August 19, 1981.

The next day, she and Arie packed up all their belongings and headed west to start their retirement and a new life in Kingwood, Texas, where their daughter, Carol, son-in-law, Jim, and their only grandchildren at the time, Ashley and Brad, lived.

Many words have been used to describe Marie from an early age. Although she was shy in nature, she exuded kindness, gentleness, generosity, sweetness, and most especially, love for everyone whom she met. She enjoyed cooking, sewing, baking, and hosting family and friends as they gathered in her home. She was never more at home than in her kitchen surrounded by those family and friends.

If ever she heard of a sick or bereaved friend or family member, Marie was the first one to bring over a pot of her delicious chicken and dumplings, chicken and spaghetti, or her wonderful fried peach pies. She always brought those fried peach pies to the Wednesday night church suppers.

Marie was also very active in the churches in which she was a member. She was raised in the Pineville First Baptist Church where her father was a deacon. She was baptized at this church when she was eight years old. Her maternal grandfather, Reverend Henry Roshto, was a Baptist missionary who rode up and down the Mississippi River in a pirogue preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

After Marie married and moved to Winnfield, Louisiana, she was an active member of the First United Methodist Church. When she and Arie moved to Kingwood, Texas, she was a Charter Member of the Strawbridge United Methodist Church. At Strawbridge she was a member of the Altar Guild, and she volunteered in various capacities in the church. Later in her life, she joined her daughter, Carol, and her family and joined the Second Baptist Church North Campus.

Being surrounded by her family was Marie's greatest joy.

Marie touched the llives of each person with whom she came into contact. Our family would like to express our deepest gratitude for everyone who touched her life.

We thank Almighty God for allowing her to be with us for these 93 years. We are truly blessed beyond measure.

Marie is preceded in death by:

Her parents, James Edward Smith, Sr. and Mary Roshto Smith;
Her husband of 46 years, Arie L. Hughes;
Daughter, Connie Sue Hughes Harper; Son-in-law, Robert Harper, Sr.;
Grandson, Robert Harper, Jr.;
Her brother, James Edward Smith, Jr.;

She is survived by:

Daughter, Carol Hughes Baggett (Jim);

Grandchildren, Ashley Baggett Jolley (Brett, Sr.), Bradley R. Baggett (Kimberly), and Rachel Harper;

Her great-grandchildren, Brett Austin Jolley, Jr., Ava Jolley, Isabella Baggett, Elijah Baggett, Atticus Baggett, Scarlett Paige Baggett, Priscilla Baggett, Magnolia Baggett, and Brooke Harper; and numerous nieces, nephews, and other family members and friends, especially her best friend of almost forty years, Jackie Many.


A Visitation Service will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, August 30, 2019 at Rosewood Funeral Home in Porter, TX.

A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at Rosewood Funeral Home in Porter, TX, to be followed by a Graveside Service at Rosewood Memorial Park in Porter, TX.