Louise Dale Enochs

Louise Dale Enochs (née Louise Dale Amos) was born in Baton Rouge, Louisianaon November 23, 1936, the daughter of Corinne Voorhies Amos and Ralph Wayne Amos. Her parents divorced when she was young, and her mother later remarried Warren Maxwell Smith, "Pops,"who raised Louise and her siblings as his own. Pops later adopted all of Corinne's children from her prior marriage long after they had reached adulthood, because he wanted to formally memorialize his role as their father, a role that he dearly cherished. When Louise was a young girl, she went away to boarding school at St. Mary of the Pines Academy, a catholic school for girls run by the Sisters of Notre Dame in
Chatawa, Mississippi. Louise loved her time at St. Mary of the Pines and always spoke highly of the care and direction the Sisters of Notre Dame provided in her education. But one of the things Louise loved most about St. Mary of the Pines was getting to know the diverse array of girls, including many from Latin and South America, who attended school with her. It was at St. Mary of the Pines that Louise almost crossed paths with someone who would later become the single most important person in her life, Edgar Earle ("Ed" or "Pokey") Enochs, a day studentat St. Mary of the Pines, who was from nearby Fernwood, Mississippi. Although Ed and Louise did not get a chance to meet at St. Mary of the Pines, fate brought this about several years later. Louise and her twin sister, Hilda, spotted Ed at the Newman Center Chapel at LSU. It was love at first sight for Louise, but since she did not even know Ed's name, she and Hilda just started calling him "Willie." Not long after, Louise and Ed were formally introduced by Louise's mother, Corinne, whom Ed had met after he became interested in Catholicism
while attending LSU. After finally meeting, Ed and Louise's courtship continued for several years, and it was after Ed finished his Ph. D in mathematics at Notre Dame University in 1958 that Ed and Louise married at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After a sun-filled honeymoon in Acapulco, Mexico, Louise and Ed moved North where Ed began his teaching career at the University of Chicago. It was in Chicago that Ed and Louise gave birth to their first two children, Corinne Theresa and Mary Jane. After enduring a few frosty Midwestern winters, Ed and Louise decided to return to a warmer, more hospitable Southern climate, and Ed accepted a tenured professorship at the University of South Carolina. While there, Louise and Ed gave birth to five more children, Kathryn Elizabeth, Molly (née Maureen Margaret), Madelaine Justina, Brigid Anne and John Christian. Louise was just thirty years old when the last of their children was born. While the mere thought of having so many children in rapid succession might overwhelm some parents, Louise never
missed a beat. From Ed all the way down to their youngest child, Louise always set her personal aspirations aside to make sure that everyone else's needs were met first. A few months after the last of the children was born, Ed accepted a tenured position at the University of Kentucky. So Ed and Louise and their seven children moved to Lexington, Kentucky, spending the academic year in Lexington and
summers and occasional holidays at Ed's family home in Fernwood, Mississippi. It was during the many summers in Fernwood that Louise continued her role as wife and mother but also took on the role of "Aunt Louise" to the many first cousins (on the Enochs side) who all descended upon Fernwood every summer, sometimes even long after becoming adults. But Louise's role as aunt did not stop there, as she was also Aunt Louise to a myriad of cousins on the Amos/Smith side of the family. Although you could say that Louise took her role as "Aunt Louise" very seriously, this had less to do with any need to be serious and more to do with the fact that Louise held a genuine interest in and dearly loved each and every one of the cousins to whom she will be affectionately remembered as Aunt Louise. An understanding of Ed and Louise's family would not be complete without mentioning the scores of Ed's graduate students who were often fixtures at the Enochs household. Louise always made sure that Ed's students and their families felt welcome, that they were well fed, and that the doors to the house were always open to them. Although many of Ed's graduate students were from various parts of the United States, many had come from far way countries to study with Ed. Louise made sure they had whatever they needed so they could focus on their work, and
many of Ed's students became part of the extended family. While Ed was busy working at the University, Louise managed the day-to-day
affairs of the household, including the family finances. This was no small task as there was never a dull moment in the Enochs home. This included the year that Ed and Louise decided to take a European sabbatical. After making sure the children saw New York City for the first time and that they stayed at the fabled Algonquin Hotel where they learned about Dorothy Parker and her famous Round Table, Ed and Louise and their seven young children boarded the S.S. France, then the longest ocean liner in the world, and crossed the Atlantic for six days before disembarking at the vessel's home port in Le Havre, France. It was in Le Havre that Ed and Louise loaded all seven children, twenty-one pieces of luggage, and two violins into a small, white Renault station wagon which they drove across Europe visiting numerous historic sites, ancient churches, castles and other points of interest, and even the home of Louise's Aunt Hilda who lived in Madrid, Spain at the time. The family eventually ferried the tiny passenger-filled, luggage-laden diminutive station wagon, which lovingly came to be known as the "Little White Renault," to the French island of Belle-Ile-en-Mer off the coast of Brittany where Ed and Louise rented a rustic 16th century farmhouse to spend the last several months of their grand European adventure with their children. This was just one of many family adventures that Louise helped orchestrate with Ed. There are simply too many others to mention. It was only after all seven children were nearly raised and starting to follow their own interests that Louise decided to pursue a nursing degree, the perfect path for someone who took so much joy in caring for others. After graduating from ITTTechnical Institute, Louise worked as a nurse for almost ten years. During this time, she cared for intensive care patients, patients with alcohol and chemical dependency and the elderly before choosing to care for individuals who required round-the-clock care during the final days of their lives. This was all done while tirelessly continuing Louise's other labor of love, her full-time job taking care of Ed and their seven children. Although Louise stopped nursing many decades ago, she kept her nursing license current for the remainder of her life in case she might ever be needed in this capacity. Although Louise retired early from nursing, she never stopped caring for anyone whom she found in need. During the last several years of her life, after Ed and Louise had moved home to Fernwood, Mississippi, Louise gave generously to the Greater Hope Homeless Shelter and the Sisters of the Carmelite Monastery of Jackson, Mississippi with whom Louise spoke several times a week. Louise kept the Monastery on speed dial and never hesitated to ask the Sisters to say prayers for family members and friends, friends of friends and literally anyone else whom Louise thought might benefit from prayers at any given time. After eighty-eight years devoted to taking care of others, Louise departed this world surrounded by loving family during the early morning hours of Monday, September 1, 2025. People who were fortunate enough to meet Louise during her lifetime can confirm that she never met a stranger. Her kind and gentle disposition, her generous spirit, her wickedly funny sense of humor, and her endless well of interesting conversation made her a joy to be around. She had a beautifully soft Southern accent that could make anyone just want to sit back and listen to whatever she had to say, which was sometimes plenty. People who took the time to visit with Louise were never disappointed.

Louise is survived by her beloved husband, Ed, her seven children, Corinne Vooris of Las Vegas, Nevada, Mary Jane and son-in-law, Richard McDonald of Fernwood, Mississippi, Kathryn Herzog of Richmond, Virginia, Molly Martin of Nantes, France, Madelaine Epley of Richmond, Virginia, Brigid Anne Enochs and daughter-in-law, Susan Phillips of McComb, Mississippi, John Enochs of New Orleans, Louisiana, and her identical twin sister Hilda ("Luvs") and brother-in- law Bobbie McBride of Alexandria, Louisiana, her younger brother, August Smith, numerous nieces and nephews, thirteen grandchildren, Max, Chloe, Chelsea, Justina, Zoe, Zeno, Emma, Henry, Elijah, Jadie, Julian, Gabriella, Olivia, and several great grandchildren.

Louise is predeceased by her mother, Corinne Voorhies Smith, and father, Warren Maxwell Smith of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, brothers,Ralph Wayne Amos, Jr. and his wife Theresa ("Teefie") Bello Amos of Prairieville, Louisiana, Dr. Eric Henry Amos of Pensacola, Florida, her mother-in-law, Jean Ried Lampton Enochs and father-in-law, Philip Henry Enochs, of Fernwood, Mississippi. Louise is also predeceased by her grandparents, Louis J. and Hilda Labbe Voorhies of Baton Rouge, formerly of St. Martinville, Louisiana.

Louise loved her Louisiana heritage, which extended to long before Louisiana became a State. Notable ancestors include Pierre Antoine Bienvenue (1703-1771), who sat on the Cabildo during the Spanish occupation, his wife, Marie Marthe DeVince Bienvenue (1736-1802) of New Orleans, Louisiana, Albert Voorhies (1829-1913) of New Orleans, Louisiana who served as an Associate Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court (1859-1865), Lieutenant Governor (1865 -1867), Louisiana Senator (1872 -1867), Member, Louisiana House of Representatives(1876-1878), and Civil District Court Judge, Orleans Parish (1887 -1892), Cornelius Voorhies (1804-1859), Louisiana Supreme Court Justice (1853 – 1859), Alexandre Mouton (1804-1885), United States Senator and 11th Governor of Louisiana, David Francois Sandoz (1802-1877) of St. Martinville, Louisiana, who built the Duchamp Opera House, the oldest commercial building in Acadiana, and his daughter, Marie Amelie Sandoz Duchamp de Chastignier (1871-1949) and herhusband, Eugene Auguste Duchamp de Chastignier (1837-1898), to name a few.

Louise loved telling stories about large family gatherings, mostly in St. Martinville, Louisiana, full of love, laughter, and endless good times, all experiences that unquestionably informed Louise's boundless and unconditional love of family. The Enochs will hold a private memorial for Louise at a later date at the family home in Fernwood, Mississippi.

If you wish to make a donation in Louise's name, please consider giving to the Carmelite Monastery of Jackson, Mississippi, 2155 Terry Road, Jackson, Mississippi 39204, (601) 373-1460 or the Greater Hope Homeless Shelter, 116 N. Locust Street, McComb, Mississippi 39648, (601) 248-0469. Mother Mary Jane at the Monastery or Ms. Sarah who runs the shelter would be happy to hear from you.

The family would like to offer special thanks and gratitude to Gina Thompson with Compassus hospice care, who provided critical treatment to Louise so that she could remain comfortably at home in Fernwood during the last moments of her life, as well as the Hartman Jones Funeral Home in McComb, Mississippi and Constable Oliver James for their kindness and compassion during this very
difficult time.

The family would also like to thank Louise's youngest daughter, Brigid Anne Enochs, and daughter-in-law, Susan Phillips, who worked tirelessly to meet Louise's healthcare and daily needs during the last several years of Louise's life.
This made all the difference, and for this we remain eternally grateful.