Varwood Varnado Arie

The family will receive friends from 12:30 pm until 2:30 pm on Friday, January 26, 2024 at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home followed by interment at Memory Lawn Cemetery in Natchitoches, LA.

Varwood was born on February 12, 1928 in the back of her parents grocery store in Franklinton, La.  Her parents, Wilks and Lula, called her “Baby Girl” for six months before they could agree on a name for their second child.  They combined parts of their last names to come up with Varwood, but often called her Sue because it was such a unique name - just like her.  She went on to be a very good student and graduated as valedictorian.   She went away to college in Natchitoches at the age of 16.  She enjoyed college life for a couple of years and eventually met the love of her life, William.  He had returned to college after serving in WWII as an army paratrooper.  They eloped in 1946 and eventually left college to go back and live with her parents.  Varwood and William became parents to four daughters and lived in several states when William worked as concrete and steel construction supervisor.

After living for many years in Texas and forming life-long friendships, William and Varwood moved back to Natchitoches where they first met. Varwood was always fun to be around and never met a stranger!  She was full of stories and “Memaw-isms”. She went back to work and was one of the best - and most entertaining - receptionists at the Louisiana VoTech Curriculum Center in Natchitoches.  But her most important and rewarding role in life was to be the very best and most loyal grandmother.  Her grandchildren all loved spending time with her and the feeling was mutual.

Varwood was predeceased by her parents, brother Bill, husband William, and grandchildren Lewis and Elizabeth Anne.  She leaves behind her daughters Elizabeth Putthoff, Emily (Jeff) Piroga, Barbara Lightfoot, and Cindy (Claiborne) Self; grandchildren Michael (Lee) Lightfoot, Brandon (Ellion) Self, Rebecca Piroga, Dr. Kristen (Alexander) Self Morvant; great-grandchildren William, Celine and Amelia.

The family would like to thank the many friends and staff members (you know who you are) at Brookdale North in Denton who loved and supported Varwood in her final years.  The staff of Three Oaks Hospice - Courtney, Lisa, Misty, Genevieve and many others - were a great source of comfort and care for mother and her family.  We thank you all for your gift of kindness and care for her.