Funeral service for Mrs. Carla Martin will be 10 AM Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at Dennard Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Scott Fletcher officiating, interment to follow in New Winnsboro Cemetery, visitation will be Tuesday 5-7 PM at the funeral home all under the direction of Dennard First National Funeral Home Winnsboro, LA.

Carla Ann Martin passed away in her home in Winnsboro on September 13, 2026, at the age of 75. She was preceded in passage by her father, W. C. “Bill” Martin, her mother, Joyce Trichel Martin and her younger sister Susan Lea “Suzy” Martin. She is survived by her daughter Angela Evans; grandchildren Amber Chiton and her husband Cody, Callie Dixson and her husband Hayden, and Hanna Grace Poole; great grandchildren Chandler Chilton and Hudson Chilton her brother W. Kelly Martin.

Born December 23, 1950, she was raised in Winnsboro by the late W.C. and Joyce Martin. She was born with a passion for animals, growing up showing cows, riding horses and dragging home every dog and cat that appeared anything near homeless. The neighborhood knew to check the Martin house if their pet suddenly disappeared.

At Winnsboro High School, she tried out for basketball under the legendary Carrice Russell and did not make the team. Daddy put up a basketball goal at home, and she went to work on her skills. Not only did she later make the team, she became one of Winnsboro High School’s highest scoring basketball players and most feared rebounders ever, garnering most every award known at the time and setting school records that stood for decades.

Carla received a teaching degree from Northeast Louisiana State College in Monroe and taught business courses at the Ogden School in Liddieville. She was very popular with students and faculty, helping many students on her own time and contributing to school events.

Carrying her animal skills into adulthood, she teamed up with Suzy and together, their efforts advanced Suzy to qualify for Miss Rodeo USA by winning the Queen’s Competition at the 1973 Loretta Lynn Stampede Rodeo in Monroe. Suzy’s untimely death later that year ended their Miss Rodeo USA dreams and Carla was devastated by the loss of her sister, to whom she was very close.

She kept her competitive drive stoked with tennis and returned to school, earning an accounting degree from LSU in Baton Rouge. From there she entered the insurance business and later became a realtor, both here in Winnsboro. She was known as a very helpful agent in both fields.

But Carla’s strongest suit was cooking. She spent much of her childhood with her paternal grandmother Beulah, “Bebe”, martin who was the undisputed champion, within her family and church, of southern homestyle cooking. Call it white trash cooking or whatever you like but when either of them prepared a meal, everybody showed up and nobody left hungry. We lost Bebe in 1983, but Carla carried on her cooking legacy until failing health finally took her out of the kitchen. My birthday gift from her each year was her lemon meringue pie, to which there was simply no equal.

To the myriad friends, family, customers and associates who have extended genuine heartfelt condolences, we sincerely appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

Pallbearers will be Joe Doughty, Conrad Gaither, Bailey Martin, Robert Martin, William Neal, Paul Trichel, .

Honorary Pallbearers will be Larry Bruce, Steve Gibson, Danny Lofton, Bob McHale, Wade Walley.

The family would like express special thanks to Lindsey Mullican of Elara Hospice for her special care, love and compassion.

Online registry/condolences at www.dennardfirstnational.com