Funeral mass for Mary Charlene Duplechain Thierry will be at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, in Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church with Reverend Brian Buettner, Pastor, officiating.

A rosary will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, in the Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Chapel.

Burial will be in the Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, Oklahoma, under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

Charlene, as she was known to her family and friends, was one of 13 children of Warren and Clotile Duplechain.  She was born in Church Point, Louisiana, and formed her life values through the cultures of St. Landry Parish.  She married Leonce Thierry on December 29, 1956.  As a military couple, Leonce and Charlene settled in the Lawton-Fort Sill, Oklahoma community, raising five children.

Charlene was a true "Louisiana Girl" who enjoyed working in her garden, cooking and sewing.  Charlene loved tending to her beautiful roses, lilies and vegetables.  She was famous for cooking her award winning gumbo, Creole dishes, holiday feasts and delicious German chocolate, rum and banana cakes, and pecan pralines. Charlene was devoted to her family and her children were the central focus in her life. Charlene loved to sew clothes for her children and was so happy when called upon to make costumes for school pageants and plays, including angels and wise men costumes.

Charlene spent 42 years working for the Federal government with the U.S. Department of the Army, Fort Sill Field Artillery Center and School.  During her career, she served in many positions, including managing the Bachelor Officers Quarters and with the Equal Employment Opportunity office as an Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist and later as the Equal Employment Opportunity Manager.  Charlene earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Cameron University and a Master of Arts degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma.  Charlene was a servant-leader her entire life.  A lifelong member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, she was an alter server and worked tirelessly with the Catholic Daughters, Blessed Sacrament Ladies Auxiliary, Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary Court 264 and the Sergeant Major's Wives Club.  She was also a die-hard fan of the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder and her home-state New Orleans Saints.  Charlene also enjoyed traveling with her family.

Charlene was preceded in death by her parents, Leonce, her husband of 54 years, brothers Percy, Lowery, Leroy "Red," A.B., Carl and Howard Duplechain; and sisters Viola Martha Duplechain; Leora "Tutsie" Perry; Ursula Thomas and Lillie Mae James.  Charlene is survived by her children Bonita Denyse Thierry of Houston, Texas; Kimberly English (Charles) of Alexandria, Virginia; Lisa Thierry Lyons of Cedar Hill, Texas; Leonce H. Thierry, Jr. of Galveston, Texas; Lathonya Shivers (Rodney), of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma;  grandchildren Patrick, Mary Elisabeth and George Lyons, Jessica Angle (Matthew), Nicholas and Vincent Shivers, great-grandaughter Sophia Colette Angle and sisters Marie Sims and Geraldine Labbe, who all cherish her memory.

Charlene was blessed to have many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family throughout Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and across the United States, lifelong friends and neighbors, colleagues and church members.  Charlene touched the lives of so many in need.  She will always be remembered as a servant of God.