Oakdale-Celebration of Life services honoring Ethel Ware Sweat, 86, will be held at 11 o’clock am on Wednesday morning, April 15, 2026 at Ardoin/Allen Parish Funeral Home of Oakdale. Rev. Greg Willis will officiate. Ethel will be laid to rest at Oakhill Cemetery in Oakdale immediately following her services.

    Ethel’s family will receive friends and visitors at Ardoin/Allen Parish Funeral Home of Oakdale on Tuesday evening, April 14, 2026, from 4-9 o’clock pm. Ethel’s visitation will resume at Ardoin/Allen Parish Funeral Home of Oakdale on Wednesday morning, April,15, 2026 from 9 o’clock am until time of service. All of Ethel’s arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Ardoin/Allen Parish Funeral Home of Oakdale.

    Today we gather to celebrate a truly beautiful life- a woman who meant so much to so many. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, a proud grandmother, and a cherished great grandmother. Family was the center of her world, and she loved them more than anything. Ethel had a gift for making a house feel like a home. As a homemaker, she created warmth, comfort, and a place where everyone felt welcome. Her kitchen was often the heart of it all- filled with the smell of her cooking, meals made with love, and recipes that somehow always tasted better when she made them. Four generations were raised and fed from her hands and the pots she cherished so dearly. To say she made the best food isn’t just a compliment- it’s a memory so many of us carry.                           

    Ethel also shared her talents beyond her home, working as a hairdresser, cross stitching, quilting, and working as a seamstress. Her sewing room was a sacred space. The only room in the house she kept just for herself. Ethel was an incredibly accomplished woman both in her home and in the workforce. She found joy in simple things- her flowers, her garden, and the quiet companionship of her beloved cats. 

    Ethel was a strong woman. As a breast cancer survivor, she faced one of life’s hardest battles with courage and resilience, showing all of us what it means to endure and keep going with grace. Her love, her strength, and her warmth will live on in each of us- in the meals we share, in the flowers we grow, and in the way we care for one another. Ethel will be forever missed, and unconditionally loved by all who knew her and her legacy will live on. 

    Those left to cherish Ethel’s memory include one son, Rodney Sweat and wife Becky, two daughters, Jackie, and Diana S. Sweat; one sister, Clara Rodriguez; ten grandchildren, eighteen great grandchildren, five great-great grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends.

    Ethel is preceded in death by her parents, Sol, and Cleo Ware; her husband Elza Sweat Jr.; two sons, Elza Ludrend and Donald E. Sweat; three brothers, Leamon, Elvin, and Delmar Ware; and one sister Thelma West.

    Condolences and expressions of sympathy may be shared with Ethel’s family at www.ardoinfuneralhome.com or on Facebook at Ardoin/Allen Parish Funeral Home.