Funeral Services will be held at the Friendship Baptist Church Saturday, September 4, 2010 at Noon with burial following in the Breda Town Cemetery. A wake service will be held at the Winnfield Funeral Home Chapel on the preceding Friday evening from 6 - 9 p. m. I WILL lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. Psalms 121: 1 " 2 The service-filled Christian life of Mrs. Zelma Smith Perkins transitioned from labor to reward on Thursday, August 26, 2010 at the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center. She was born October 13, 1934 on Tuesday evening at 5:40 PM to the parentage of the late Mr. Willis Smith and Mrs. Beulah Jackson Smith in Powhatan, Louisiana. She was the third of three children who blessed this union. Her parents, brother, James Smith and sister, Alma S. Morrow all preceded her in death. Sister Zelma began her life-long Christian journey in 1944 in which she was converted (early one Tuesday morning) and joined the Gaines Chapel A.M.E. Church under the pasturage of Rev. Nelson. In 1950, she joined the Friendship Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. Richard Kissee and remained in dutiful service within that congregation in many different capacities until the Lord called her home for her new Angelic assignment. Sister Zelma was well-known for the 50 years (1957 " 2007) of devoted service as the Friendship B.C. Inspirational choirs President and also performed with the Gospelrettes of Natchitoches, Louisiana. She attended the Natchitoches Parish Training School, which was later renamed Central High School and was a member of the graduating Class of 1954. Also she was a very active member of the Natchitoches Parish Council on Aging (NPCOA) for many years were she served as a volunteer on the Commodity Distribution Team. In 2008, due to her unselfish and tireless service to the NPCOA Commodity Distribution, a room at the facility on Keyser Ave. was named in her honor. Lastly, she received many awards and accolades from the City of Natchitoches and State of Louisiana for her civic duties within the community she called home her entire life. Sister Zelma united in Holy matrimony to the Late Rev. Eddie Perkins on May 16, 1953 and to this blessed union two daughters were born, Joyce M. Perkins and Gloria J. Perkins-Braxton. And in mid 1966, the Lord blessed her with a son, Ronald D. Smith, Sr. The Lord also blessed her to become a grandmother and two grandsons were born Quency D. Perkins (whom she reared as her own son) and Ronald D. Smith, Jr. (her lil Bug). Those who will forever cherish her life and legacy are her loving children, Ms. Joyce M. Perkins, Mrs. Gloria J. Braxton (Michael) and Mr. Ronald D. Smith, Sr. (Jocelyn) all of Natchitoches, LA; two grandsons, Quency D. Perkins of Dallas, TX and Ronald D. Smith, Jr.; three granddaughters by marriage, Mydreeka Braxton, Adia M. and Alexis L. Robinson all of Natchitoches; a traditional example of an extended family including James children Rhonda Bates [Boyce, LA To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Zelma Smith Perkins, please visit our floral store.