Frances DuBose Picquet Smith Bledsoe

Frances DuBose Picquet Smith Bledsoe, left her earthly home she has had for 93 years, Saturday morning the 27th of June 2015. Rest assured our beloved Momma and granny is rejoicing in her heavenly home. Her Funeral Service will be held Wednesday, July 1, 2015 in J. HENRY STUHR INC., WEST ASHLEY CHAPEL, 3360 Glenn McConnell Parkway. at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow in Magnolia Cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday, June 30, 2015 in Stuhr's Chapel from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. where an Eastern Star Service will be held at 6:30 p.m.

Mom was born in Kingstree, SC, the third oldest child of what would eventually be nine children of Ben and Mary DuBose Picquet. Mom came from such a large and loving family and it grew larger as all the nieces and nephews came along and all were loved so much by their Aunt Frances. Nothing tickled mom more than to sit and watch her family fishing, swimming or having a picnic in her front yard, "The Pond" as she lovely called it. Aside from staying in constant touch with all of her family and attending all the football and baseball games and any other event that came along, Mom would not miss any of it as long as it was family she was there with. Mom was a great Southern cook and a Master baker. Nothing pleased her more than cooking for her family and baking for the church. She loved cooking country breakfast for her grandchildren when they came early morning fishing, with friends. Mom lived for Monday night poker games with her card club, and then when Wednesday card game started of course she had to go to all those and be with her friends ...and then, of course, she would go to Bingo every chance she got.

Aside from her family, Mom's happiest moments were spent with Eastern Star, and she was a lifelong member of Loyalty Chapter 136 for 64 years. She served in every Star Point office more than once and was Worthy Matron. Mom also retired from Ron MacNair Elementary as a teacher's aide. She started there when it was Ben Tillman and she loved those children and they loved her. Mom was a charter member of Windsor Baptist Church until she transferred to Stono Baptist Church. She had such a quick sense of humor and she always had everyone laughing if you spent any time with her. She had such a dry humor. When mom reaches those pearly gates she is rejoicing as she is reunited with her mom and dad, Ben and Mary Picquet, her brothers Benny, Lamar and Deveaux, and her Sweet sisters, Mary Green, Belle Pelham and our dad Gilbert Smith, Sr., and her second husband George Bledsoe. She also is so happy to be reunited with Skip Bledsoe. Mom left this early home knowing she was so, so deeply loved by so many, none more than her children who she loved with every fiber of her being.

She is survived by her two sisters and one brother Virginia Hodges, Edna Felder, and Edward Picquet, and her children Gwynette Hatcher (Richard),Gilbert L. Smith, Jr., (Carol), and Rhonda Smith, the loves of her life her grands Neil Choate, Fran Choate and Billy Choate, Michelle Van Allen, Melissa Justice and Misty McCann. The light of mom's eyes were her great grands, Brian Chavis, Brook Chavis, Brittany Van Allen, MacKenzie Justice and Mason Driggers, Lacey Morris, Vincent Korzeniowski, III., and Zachary and Morgan Choate. She just glowed when she was around her great-great grands, Trent Chavis and Kennedy McLaurin, along with her many, many nieces and nephews who loved their Aunt Frances and her humor, cooking or just hanging out and fishing with her . Mom was deeply loved and she loved deeply for all her years. My mom left this home for her heavenly home a wealthy, wealthy woman as she was rich with family love.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Loyalty Chapter OES 136, 1640 McClain Charleston, SC 29407.