Auty Mae Leach Platt

Auty Mae Leach Platt, 91, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 4, 2021, in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

A native of Bellwood, Louisiana, Auty moved to Lake Charles when she was eighteen. She and her late husband, JT, were longtime members of First Baptist Church of Lake Charles. She was a choir member until she began as the pianist in the 4^th grade Sunday school department and continued as a teacher there for over 40 years. She was also a researcher for the church historical committee.

She “met a guy” from Bridge City at a fall church fellowship while working as a telephone operator.  They married in the spring and celebrated 71 anniversaries. She continued as an operator for three years until joining JT briefly while he was in the army in West Virginia.

A beloved homemaker with four children, she was involved in their lives volunteering as a room mother. She and JT worked as band boosters for nine years at Lake Charles High School. They volunteered in the concession stand until halftime every home game. They both enjoyed attending the All-Class Reunions for LCHS even though neither of them was alumni. She was a Wildcat through and through.

She sewed, crocheted, and quilted like her mother and grandmother, passing down that love to her daughters. Many times, you would find her and Grandma Leach (and whoever else was around) working on stitches at the quilting frame hanging from the ceiling in the living room.

Auty and JT had a passion for genealogy. They loved discovering new branches of their families. They often traveled to meet long-lost cousins and enjoyed introducing members of different families who had lost touch. She also had a passion for the written word, loving books and teaching grandchildren to read. She passed down that love to her children and grandchildren as well. Every room in their house was full of shelves overflowing with every genre of book, library cards in each that could be checked out by neighbors or grandkids. And the library cards were always current.

Preceding Auty in death is her husband of 71 years, James T. Platt, Sr.; her parents, Thomas Alvin Leach and Emma Zelma Moss Leach as well as her brother and older sisters. She leaves to honor and cherish her memory, her sister, Letha Leach Griffin of Moss Bluff; two sons, J.T. Platt, Jr., Vancouver, B.C.; and Tim Platt and his wife, Angi, Dallas, TX; two daughters, Nona Platt, Glendale, Utah; and Debbie Harris and her husband, Buddy, Orange, TX; ten grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and the extended family of fourth grade Sunday school kids.

The memorial to honor the lives of Auty and J.T. will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, October 4, 2021 at the Vineyard Church.  The Rev. Scot Stewart will officiate.  Cremation was entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home.  A gathering will begin at 10:30 AM and will continue following the service along with a luncheon in the church.

If you’d like to honor Auty, please consider a donation to your local library or reading program.