Charline Broussard

Charline “Salemah” Broussard, 78, of Lake Charles, passed away Thursday, July 9, 2020 at a local hospital.  Charline was born on March 4, 1942, in Lake Charles, to the late Hattie and Eddie Broussard, Sr.

Charline “Salemah” was a graduate of WO Boston High School in Lake Charles and attained her Associates Degree in nursing from Sowela Tech of Lake Charles.  She later moved with her family to Washington DC, where she studied and became a licensed cosmetologist.  Despite acquiring degrees in both nursing and cosmetology, her real passion was singing, which became her life-long profession.  She has shared her melodic voice with audiences nationally and internationally, performing in The Republic of Singapore, Paris, France, and more. 

She has lived in Tucson, AZ; Oxon Hill, MD; Houston, TX; and metropolitan Atlanta, GA.  Lake Charles, however, has always been home.  While in Houston, she opened two beauty salons and sang jazz professionally with the Joe Nettles Ensemble at the River Oaks Country Club, whose guest list included national elites such as President George H. W. Bush (prior to becoming Vice-President).  Upon returning to Lake Charles, she opened another beauty salon, an accessory shop, sang with Chester Daigle’s Ensemble and birthed the Annual Lake Charles International Cultural Festival, now the International Family Day in the Park.

Those left to cherish her memory are: her 7 children, Linda (Broussard) Banks of Decatur, GA, Patricia A. Dugar of Dallas, TX, Geraldine (Curtis, Jr.) Munerlyn of Houston, TX, Melody A. Smith (James Tunstill) of Jonesboro, GA, Heesham B. Broussard of Lake Charles, Iman Y. (Fiance, Osman Dubon) Broussard of Lake Charles, and Lamya “Mootzy” K. Broussard of Philadelphia, PA; 11 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; 1 sister, Linda (Lawrence) B. Hagger of Houston, TX; and 3 brothers, Howard (Audrey, deceased) Broussard of Beaumont, TX, Leonard (Betty, Deceased) Broussard of Lake Charles, and Donald Ray (JoAnn, deceased) Broussard of Lake Charles; and a host of family members and friends.

A member of the Islamic Society of Lake Charles, Sister Haijji Charline “Salemah” was blessed to have made Haji in 2005 to Mecca.  She was preceded in death by her parents, one daughter, Andrea Smith, 3 brothers, and 2 sisters.

A private Islamic family service was held in celebration of her life per her wishes.