Dee Humphrey gained her angel’s wings at noon on Tuesday, May 29, 2018. She was 79 years old and born in Mars Hill, Louisiana in Grant Parish. She has been a resident of Gonzales, Louisiana for 50 years. She has been a member of Ascension Baptist Church for 6 years where she enjoyed serving the church in various capacities alongside her husband. Dee was a kindergarten teacher at Little Folks Achievement School for 14 years where she taught many of Ascension Parish’s finest citizens. Dee has been playing the piano since she was nine years old. She played for many Saturday night gospel singings in and around Grant Parish and also played for the church she grew up in, Hargis Baptist Church. She played the piano for several churches in the area including Dutchtown Baptist Church and St. Gabriel Baptist Church. She enjoyed playing for her daughter and her friend to sing special music on Sunday mornings. She loved just sitting at her piano and playing for hours all of the good ole gospel hymns. The Humphrey house was a house that was open to everyone. Youth from church could always be found in the swimming pool while “Mama Dee and Papa Arland” cooked hamburgers on the grill. The door was always open to her children’s friends, literally…..they rarely knocked when they came over, they just walked on in like they lived there. She and Papa Arland enjoyed being “that house” where everyone felt comfortable and loved. Dee was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and community volunteer. She is preceded in death by her parents, Lonnie and Audrey (Box) Deen, brothers Randolph, Lealon and wife Violet, Bobby Deen and infant sister Mary Annies Deen. Dee is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 61 years, Arland Ray Humphrey, her daughter, Judi Humphrey Gautreau and son, Kenneth Dale Humphrey and his wife Michele, daughter Patsy Farmer and her husband Rick. She is also survived by her grandchildren who she loved with all of her heart and spoiled fiercely, Jarrett Gautreau and his wife Charley, Janna Gautreau, Ashley Humphrey, Daniel Humphrey, Sarah Kilburn and husband Farrell and great-granddaughter Katherine Ann Kilburn, SarahBess Brown, Kathy Deen Antee, Wayne Deen and his wife Mary, Allen Deen and his wife Lisa. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews and many friends. Funeral services will be held at Ascension Baptist Church, Friday, June 1, 2018 with Dr. Robert C. Lawrence and Brother Leon Carpenter officiating. Burial will be held at Hope Haven Garden of Memory in Prairieville. The family will receive friends and family at Ascension Baptist Church from 9:00 am until 11:00 am with the funeral service being held at 11:00 am. The family would like to express their thanks to the wonderful doctors, nurses, aides and staff at St. Joseph’s Carpenter’s House in Baton Rouge. If desired, friends and family may make contributions in mama’s memory to St. Joseph’s Carpenter’s House Foundation at 10615 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. Ourso Funeral Home of Gonzales (www.oursofh.com) is in charge of arrangements.
