Individual Details

Death

Obituary: Ella Mae Hoffpauir Darnsteadt (Istre) Ella Mae Darnsteadt (Istre), 85, passed away Feb. 15, 2007, in her home in Lake Charles. She was one of five chil­dren born to Louis L. Hoff­pauir and Mattie Gossett of Bell City, La. She was a grad­uate of Bell City High School. During World War II, she was a "Rosie the Riveter" repairing P-38 airplanes. In 1941, she married Arthur Louis Darnsteadt Jr. Later she studied nursing at Sowela Tech in Lake Charles and worked as a nurse in the Westlake and Lake Charles areas. Ella Mae and Arthur were married for 50 years until his death in 1991. Survivors are her two sons, Gary Lee Darnsteadt of Walnut Creek, Calif. and Kenneth Wayne Darnsteadt of Sulphur; two sisters, Mrs. Velma Daley and Mrs. Nell Morgan, both of Lake Charles; four grandchildren, Heather DeWitt of Denver, David Darnsteadt and Jacob Darn­steadt of Sulphur, Dr. Derrick Darnsteadt M.D. of Beale Air Force Base, Calif; and three great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 19, at Johnson Funeral Home in Lake Charles. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m. the same day. Burial will follow at the Hayes Cemetery in Hayes, La. Brother John Manning will officiate. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution in Ella's name to your favorite charity. (LCAP 17 Feb 2007)