Chapel Rae Dykes

Published 2:35 pm Friday, August 20, 2021

Chapel Rae Dykes was born on July 21, 2021, in Hattiesburg, Miss., and went home to Heaven on Aug. 17, 2021, in New Orleans.

Chapel was the happiest baby, constantly smiling. Her favorite things were car rides, bath time, her Mama singing to her, and her Daddy rocking her to sleep. She also enjoyed attending her church, especially Sunday school and Refuge youth group, and watching her Daddy coach football at Ben’s Ford Christian School (go Eagles!).

She touched more people in her 27 days of life than most people do in an entire lifetime. She was a “Rae” of sunshine to all that knew her, and to thousands that did not. Her life will forever be a testimony to God’s goodness and mercy.

She is survived by her loving parents, Joey and M’Kayla (Duncan) Dykes of Franklinton; grandparents, Jerry and Monica Duncan of Mt. Olive, Miss., and Jerry and Cathy Dykes of Mt. Hermon, Eld. Billy Ray and Sue Hines of Bogalusa, Pearl Travis of Kentwood, Ed Lyles of Franklinton; aunts/uncles, Jennifer Duncan of Mt. Olive, Isaac and M’Kenna (Duncan) Cerda of Houston, Texas, Roger and Regina Barber of Franklinton, Blaine and Michelle Badeaux of Boutte, James and Jennifer Smith of Mt. Hermon; cousins, Eden Wilkerson, Sophia Cerda-Duncan, Matthew and Mika Badeaux, Kirsty, Abby, Jaylon and Roger Barber, Joycelynn Smith, Annalee Ruberts; a host of other family and friends, and a loving church family at Ben’s Ford Baptist Church and Ben’s Ford Christian School, whom all loved her very much.

She was preceded in passing by her maternal grandparents, Jerry and Brenda Duncan; paternal grandmothers, Teri (Lyles) Tanner and Doris Lyles; paternal grandfather, Coy Dykes; and a special baby cousin, Mia Cerda-Duncan.

Visitation was held on Thursday, Aug. 19, from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., with the celebration of life service held on Friday, Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., with the service beginning at 2 p.m. All services were held at Ben’s Ford Baptist Church, with burial to follow in the Ben’s Ford Baptist Church cemetery.

Pallbearers were her Mama and Daddy, whom carried her body into this world, and carried her body to rest.

Honorary pallbearers were the Ben’s Ford Christian School football team.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Ben’s Ford Christian School, the St. Tammany Parish Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and the Ochsner Main Medical Center (Jefferson Highway) Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.