Obituary of Willie Bell Couch

Funeral services for Mrs. Willie Smith Couch, “Miss Debbie”, are scheduled for 10 AM Thursday, September 18, 2025 at Golden Funeral Home with Bro. Bruce Culp and Bro. Allan Eppinette officiating. Visitation will be held from 5 PM until 7 PM, Wednesday evening, September 17. Miss Debbie was born August 21, 1930 and left this earth on September 11, 2025, and entered the arms of Jesus, at the age of ninety-five. A triumphant welcome in Heaven awaited her, for this was the home going of one of God’s most precious saints, a life marked by unceasing joy and unusual selflessness. She was devoted to the Lord; she loved Jesus and spread the Gospel through song and playing the piano. She was a woman of elegance and sophistication, a shining example of kindness, compassion, and sincerity. She had a way of making people feel loved, whether through a home-cooked meal (her chicken and dumplings and banana pudding were the best), a handwritten birthday card, or simply remembering the small details others might forget. The love she had for her family was boundless. Though she didn’t seek the spotlight, her impact was clear in the lives she touched. She didn’t need to be the loudest voice in the room – she let her actions speak. Miss Debbie's warmth and generosity created a sense of belonging, making everyone feel valued and cherished. Her wisdom, kindness, and unconditional love have left a lasting legacy in our hearts. Miss Debbie's memory will live on in the lives she touched and the love she gave so freely. Mrs. Couch, member of Hillview Freewill Baptist Church, passed away Thursday, September 11, 2025. She is survived by her daughter, Sandra Gayle Barnard; son, Johnny Naff and wife Cassie; sister, Lillie Pearl Carr and husband Paul; grandchildren, Scott E. Barnard and wife Jeniffer, Cody Barnard and wife Jennifer, Nicole Hotard and husband Troy, Laura Redding and husband Brian, Paeyton Linder, Ashlyn Naff, and Easton Naff; great grandchildren, Ashley Jackson, and husband, Les, Abbi Barnard, Ethan Barnard, Cullen Barnard, Megan Smith, and husband Jaden, Mason Rogers, and wife Anna Claire and Nic Hotard, along with four great-great grandchildren. Miss Debbie is preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Louis H. Couch; parents, B.E. and Lula Smith; sister, Bertha Holland; brother, Ray Allen Smith; granddaughter, Brooklyn Landry, and son-in-law, Kenneth Barnard, Jr. Serving as pallbearers will be Scott Barnard, Cody Barnard, Easton Naff, Leon Hampton, Wayne Hatfield, Mason Rogers, and Gary Culver. Honorary pallbearers will be the men of Hillview Freewill Baptist Church, Ethan Barnard and Cullen Barnard.