Darlene Fay Smith

Darlene Fay Bilbo Smith, 87, of Orange, TX passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 26, 2025. Born February 22, 1938, in Orange County, she resided there most of her life. She spoke often and fondly of playing basketball for her alma mater, Little Cypress High School and was salutatorian of her senior class in 1956. Lifelong friends were made in school. Her work life included positions for Gulf States Utilities, DuPont Sabine River Works, Alpha Portland Cement, Levingston Shipbuilding and Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD. Again, lifelong friends were made at work. In fact, Darlene rarely went anywhere in the world without running into a friend or someone she knew. And go she did. She loved to travel. Darlene had passionate opinions and beliefs about sports, politics and life in general; and she expressed them frequently to those lucky enough to be a part of her world. Her husband of many years, Wendell Lee Smith was a large part of that world. They were married in 1966; and she and Wendell made a family wherever life took them. She had three children: Leesa McMullen(Don), Kristi Powell(Brian), and Brandon Smith(Carmel). Darlene was preceded in death by her husband; her parents, JD and Erney (Broussard) Bilbo; her sister Sherry Lou Bilbo Johnson; her son in-law Brian Powell and numerous Bilbo and Broussard grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. She is survived by her three children; six grandchildren, Caitlin McMullen, Andrew McMullen (Chelsey), Caleb Powell, Wyatt Powell, Zachary Smith and Avery Smith; and three great grandchildren— Mary Catherine, McCoy and McKinley. She is also survived by countless nieces and nephews. Funeral Services will be under the direction of Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. Visitation will be held on August 2, 2025, at 2:00 pm and a service will follow at 3:00 pm at the funeral home. Interment will immediately follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery.