Bobbie Hosea

Bobbie Hosea, 93, of Lake Charles passed away at 6:50 PM on Friday, January 7, 2022, in a local care facility.

Bobbie Hosea was born December 6, 1928, in Akron, Ohio to Margaret and Robert Gribble. Southern Louisiana became her home when she moved back to her family’s boarding house in DeRidder. Adventure took her to the bigger cities of New Orleans and later Lake Charles where she married, settled, and had her two children, Linda McFatter Massey and Mark Steven McFatter. 

In 1963, Bobbie bought into the opportunity to become an entrepreneur and opened her first Merle Norman Cosmetics in the Southgate shopping center in Lake Charles. When developers planned the opening of the Prien Lake Mall, they recruited her as one of the first store owners for the mall where she stayed for many years through many customers who became friends. She eventually owned multiple stores and employed countless women including four generations of family who grew up in the shop with her. Her clientele included the young and the old, the sophisticated and novice, while staying timeless or trendy no matter what was in >

She loved fine things and fun people. In 1981 she married her beloved Jack Hosea who was both. They built a life entertaining friends in their beautiful home, cooking and drinking on the deck and gazebo that were even once featured in Southern Living magazine. Her house was always a party, and her closet was always a stage for little girls to hold fashion shows in scarves and heels with painted faces while dripping in sparkly jewelry. She was known by many as the makeup lady and more fondly by more as simply Bebe.

She leaves behind her dapper husband Jack, sister Wanda (Harry) Wright, daughter Linda Massey, step-daughter Allie (Jeff) Butler, grandchildren, Erica Massey Radde, Erin (Doug) Baker, Meredith Massey, and Brandon (Angel) McFatter. Additional nieces, nephews, and grandchildren include Dawn, Lillette, Ty, Jane Claire, Preston, Weslie, Lane, Jace, Taylor, and Elliott. She was preceded in death by her parents, son Steve, stepson Samuel Hosea, son-in-law Greg Massey, and half-brother Art. 

As she requested no services will be held, and cremation will be entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home.