Homegoing celebration for Mrs. Veatrice 'Vee' Prostel will be held on Saturday April 9, 2011 at First B.C. Amulet Street at 10:30 a.m. with Dr. Joseph Dupree officiating the service. Burial will be held at the Breda Town Cemetery. Visitation will be on Friday 6-8 p.m. at Winnfield Funeral Home. Veatrice 'Vee' Baptiste Prostel was born to Ignatius J. Baptiste and Fannie Pierson in Natchitoches, Louisiana on November 13, 1917. She attended school in Natchitoches and was baptized and became a member of the St. Mary Baptist Church (Cane River). It was there that she met her and married Bertrand Robert Jones. They became the parents of two children Johnette Heine and Betty Ann Jones. This marriage was short-lived as Bertrand passed away early in his life. Six years later Vee met and married Elize Jackson of Los Angeles, California and from this union, a daughter, Altonette Jackson was born. Vee, in her later life, met and married the Rev. Avel Prostel. Rev. Prostel had no children, but he thought of and loved Vee's children and grandchildren as his own. Vee spent many years as a beauty shop owner and operator, attending beauty school in Shreveport. She, in fact, built her first standalone beauty shop with her bare hands, along with the assistance of her father, Ig. While attending Helene Beauty School in Shreveport, she traveled home each weekend to be with her children and to 'style' the hair of her many waiting customers. Saturday mornings were exciting as she often had clients in her shop at 5:00 in the morning, and many did not leave until that same hour in the afternoon. Following the opening of the Natchitoches Trade School, and the increasing number of beauticians in the area, Vee's beauty business slackened. She then went to work at Northwestern State College (University), where she remained until her retirement in 1967. Following her retirement she studied and became a nursing assistant. After many years at the St. Mary Church, she decided to join the church attended by her three daughters, First Baptist-North Street. Later, she joined First Baptist Church-Amulet Street, where she remained faithful until illness prevented her attendance. Vee loved attending church and especially singing in the choir. Even after her illness, and before being confined to the Heritage Nursing Home, she would not miss a choir practice. She was inspired by music and her missionary work. She was a deaconess and loved being involved in the church, not only in participating in the worship services, but she loved being involved in the inter-workings of the church, and was dutiful in many capacities. When church members came to visit her at the nursing home, she was overjoyed. Even with the progression of her illness, she remembered many of the songs that she loved to sing. Vee was a member of the Order of Eastern Star and was active in numerous related and associated community organizations. For many years she was active in the Parent Teacher Organization and played a significant role in raising funds to purchase the first uniforms for the Central High School Marching Band under the directorship of Mr. Rudolph Davis. She was always interested in the development of the local educational system, although she never officially completed high school. Vee passed away on April 2, 2011, at the age of 93. She lived a long and productive life. She was preceded in death by her husbands, her mother, her father, seven sisters and brothers and her beloved daughter, Betty Jones Hooker. She is survived by two daughters: Ms. Altonette Juanita Jackson, of Natchitoches and Dr. Johnette Jones Williams (Andrew) of Paradise Valley, AZ; six grandchildren: Granddaughters: Alesia Shealy (Gerald) Houston, TX; Carvina Williams of Boston, MA; Bettina Wells of Houston, TX; Grandsons: Bertrand Hooker of Houston, TX, Isaac Wells III, Dallas, TX and SanJuan Pullens, Houston, TX; eight Great-grandchildren: Gerald and Myles Shealey, Isaac Wells IV, Alton Gray, SuMya and Ciara Pullens and Edward III and Andrew Hill; two nieces, Betty Wong (Cy0 and Faye Carol Jones; three nephews: Herbert Baptiste Sr, Clyde Baptiste and Lee Mack Brown, along with a host of grandnieces and nephews, cousins, friends and many persons that referred to her as 'Mama Vee' and 'Dear-Dear.' She will be missed by all who knew her and loved her. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mrs Veatrice "Vee" Prostel, please visit our floral store.