Martha Ruth Colebank Smith

    Martha (Marty) Colebank Smith passed away on Saturday August 19, 2023 at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Lake Charles, La.  She was 99 years old,  just fifty days shy of her 100th birthday.                                                                                                                

    Marty was born on October 8, 1923, the fifth of seven children born to John and Clara Colebank of Woodside Township, Fertile, Minnesota. She was educated in the public schools and graduated from Thief River Falls Training School,  and attended the University of Minnesota.  She taught school for three years in rural schools in Minnesota.  She spent a year at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio during World War 2 as an engineering aide.

    After living in Minnesota, Ohio, Iowa, Connecticut, and Arkansas, Marty moved with her family to DeRidder, La. in 1970.  She was an administrative assistant in a local accounting firm in DeRidder, retiring after 25 1/2 years. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, where she was a member of the Aldersgate Sunday School class, a past member of the Chancel Choir, and served on various committees including Finance and Church Council. She served as Financial Secretary and Treasurer.  Marty was an avid golfer, winning multiple Ladies’ Club Championships and scoring multiple holes in one at Beauregard Country Club. She loved to play bridge and other card games and did so several times a week with her dear friends. In recent months Marty was a resident at Calcasieu Community Care Center in Lake Charles and enjoyed playing dominoes and Bingo with her new friends there.

    Marty was preceded in death by a son, Jeffery Smith of Clanton , Alabama, her parents, four brothers, Laurence, Maynard, Norman and John Colebank Jr., two sisters, Ann Colebank Hagen and Grace Colebank Anderson.                                                              

     She is survived by a son, Peter (Michelle) Smith of Kingwood, Texas, a daughter, Alison (John) Rudd of Moss Bluff, La., four grandchildren, Scott Marchand of Louisville, Kentucky, Alison (Nathan) Wright of Georgetown, Kentucky, Dr. Justin Rudd (Ashley) of Lake Charles, La., and Ashley (Cody) Sellers of Moss Bluff, La. She was blessed with nine great grandchildren, Abigail and Jacob Rudd, Addison and Anniston Sellers, Lucy and Miles Wright, and Marley, Dru and Mia Marchand. She is also survived by special friend and former daughter-in-law, Elizabeth M. Smith of Georgetown, Ky., many nieces and nephews, and all of her bridge and golf playing friends.                                                     

    Memorial services will be held at First United Methodist Church, 406 W. Shirley Street,  DeRidder, La. on Friday August 25, 2023. Visitation will be held in the Church Fellowship Hall from 9 am until 11 am, with the Celebration of Life to follow at 11 am.

    In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made  to DeRidder First United Methodist Church or a charity of your choice.