Services for Martha Rosa Fondel Smith, 34, will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012, at Fondel Memorial Chapel. The Rev. Samuel Tolbert will officiate.

Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. at Fondel's until time of services. Further services will be held at noon at First Baptist Church in Monroe where the Rev. Freddie Brown will officiate.

Burial will be in Adile Baptist Church Cemetery under the direction of Fondel Memorial Chapel.

Our beautiful rose (Mrs. Martha Rosa Smith) was plucked from life's garden on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 15, 2012, when our Savior called our beloved from labor to reward. Our cherished and adored daughter, sister, wife and mother was born on May 14, 1978, in Lake Charles to Raymond M. and Esther McClanahan Fondel Sr.

Guided by her loving parents, Martha Rosa's quest led her early studies to the Cherry Street Elementary and Sacred Heart Catholic schools, where she received many outstanding awards. She then went to S.J. Welsh Middle School and one year to Barbe High School and was a 1996 graduate of Washington Marion High School, where she was a member of the band and a majorette. She was a teen reporter for KPLC.

In the year 2000, she received her Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education and her Master's of Education in 2009, both from Grambling State University. She was Miss Grambling 1998-1999.

In addition, she was a narrator for the Rosa Fondel Memorial Spin trust program and part-time secretary for Fondel Memorial Chapel in Lake Charles, Kinder and Jennings.

Martha's love for life and extraordinary gift to share with others led her to unite with the AKA Sorority and the American Federation of Teachers.

Mourning Martha Rosa's departure yet cherishing her sweet memories are her husband, Antonio Smith; her daughter, Amariah; two sons, Aiden Michael Smith and Austin Roy Smith of Monroe; her mother, Esther McClanahan Fondel; her father, Raymond M. Fondel Sr.; two brothers, Raymond M. Fondel Jr. and Paul L. Fondel; and a host of uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.