The girl with the contagious smile is gone. This is a day of great sadness for the family and friends of Ms. Brenda Lou Poe Duhon who passed away on January 20, 2026. She was united with the Lord surrounded by her family. Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 23, 2026, at 2:00 PM in the chapel of Way-Watson Funeral Home in Ellaville with Father Paulinus Okpala officiating. Interment will follow in the Duhon Family Plots in the Ellaville City Cemetery.

Brenda was born Brenda Lou Poe in Quitman, Texas on August 25th, 1944. She was the daughter of Aubrey Dean Poe of East Texas and Charlene (Williams) Poe of Rayville, Louisiana. Like her mother, she was a gentle soul enjoying the wonders of life, never bearing false witness against or criticizing others.

Her father, a World War II veteran, and Purple Heart recipient, drove a tank in the Pacific Campaign. He returned home after receiving severe injuries when his tank was crippled by the Japanese. Unable to fly planes after those injuries, which was his occupation before entering WWII, the family turned to share crops just North of Plano, Texas. Brenda’s mom, Charlene, took a job in a nursing home in the Dallas suburb of Oak Cliff where she worked until her retirement. The move sent Brenda to live in the projects of Dallas for a short time until the family moved into a simple 2-bedroom single-bath home on Wisteria Drive on Oak Cliff.

In 1962, she completed her formal education at Kimball High School in Dallas. She married her sweetheart Larodean "Larry" J. Duhon, Sr., she’d been dating most of her senior year, shortly after graduation. That union lasted until her passing. She was preceded in death by her mother, father, brothers Gerald, Bobby, and Rickie, her only sister Linda, her son Edwin (Eddie), granddaughter Jessie Alford and grandson Brandon Jones.

Brenda worked as secretary to the Director of Personnel of the Department of Corrections for the State of Illinois. After moving to Americus, she worked for the TOG Shop and the Sumter County School System.

Brenda was the proud mother of four children. Dewey and his devoted wife Angie, Carrie, Terrye and husband Jeff, and Eddie. Grandchildren, Mary Hardin, Richard Ludwig, Taylor Clark, Lance Duhon, Savannah Callier, Eric Jones, and Jacob Jones; and her great-grandchildren, Johnny, Benny, Luca, Silas, Zoe and Eddie. They were the pride and joy in her life. Brenda was a kind and loving woman. She never spoke ill of anyone. The exception being, if you crossed her or hurt her children, she turned into a real momma bear. She loved country music, Willie Nelson, Porter Wagoner, the Wilburn Brothers and others.

Brenda’s loyal support and encouragement of her husband sent him to night school, graduating Summa Cum Laude, he rose from lineman to becoming Vice President of Operations for a Fortune 500 Company. Confirming that behind every successful man is a good woman. Brenda was such a woman.

Mrs. Duhon wants to leave this thought with her family. “The last chapters have been written, and my chair is now vacant. Remember me not with sadness, but with the quiet dignity of a life I hope made you proud.” Her family was fortunate because she filled her chair extremely well.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.