Ernest Holmes Smart Jr., 100, died Saturday, March 7, 2026, at Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center in Lafayette, La.
Born May 21, 1925, in Lietchfield, he was a resident of Lafayette, La., since 1956. He graduated from Mt. Sterling High School in 1943. He graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1949 with a B.S degree in geology. He served in the Navy during World War II. After graduating from the University of Kentucky, he began his career in Houston with Gulf Oil, later moving to Lake Charles and finally to Lafayette. Over the years, he worked for several oil companies and as an independent geologist, and for the last 30 years was a consulting geologist, largely as an expert witness representing clients before the Louisiana Office of Conservation. His declining eyesight and the declining oil industry caused him to cease practicing after 70 years in the business. He felt blessed to find a profession which brought him to Lake Charles, where he met his love and wife, Jean Aberle Smart, was interesting and challenging, and where he met and made so many truly good friends. For many years, he could be found routinely having lunch at one of the “round tables” at the Lafayette Petroleum Club with several of them. He was a longstanding member of the Lafayette First Baptist Church, various professional organizations and past board member of the Lafayette Petroleum Club. When his children were young, he was active in supporting their interests and activities, including sports, Boy Scouts, PTA, debate and the advisory board at Grand Coteau Academy of Sacred Heart. Having grown up during the Great Depression working on the farm with his dad from an early age, he constantly had a home improvement, addition or repair project he was working on.
Survivors include his sons, David Smart and his wife, Jennifer, and Thomas Smart; daughter, Anna Howard and her husband, David; grandchildren, Jordan Smart and his fiancée, Emilee Goss, Jennie Forbes and her husband, Chase, Samuel Garland and his fiancée, Kaycee Pickering, and Alexandra Howard; great-grandchildren, Kendall Elizabeth Forbes and Grace Garrett Forbes; and nieces and nephews, Lyla Ruth Brown, Bill Bramblet, Patrick Gallaugher Jr., Kevin Gallaugher, Adele Gallaugher Wallace, and Michael Gallaugher.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife and best friend of 56 years, Jean Aberle Smart; parents, Ernest Holmes Smart Sr. and Delyla West Smart; and sister, Virginia Bramblet.
Memorial service will be conducted at 10:45 a.m., Saturday, March 28, at Fountain Memorial Funeral Home in Lafayette, La. with Dr. Steve Horn, Executive Director at Louisiana Baptists, of Alexandria, Louisiana officiating. Visitation will be 8:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m., Saturday. A private inurnment will follow at Fountain Memorial Cemetery in Lafayette.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made in Holmes’s name to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation at P.O. Box 515, Northampton, Mass. 01061-0515, 1-888-622-8527, macular.org.
Online obituary and guest book may be viewed at www.fountainmemorialfuneralhome.com.
Fountain Memorial Funeral Home and Cemetery, 1010 Pandora St. 337-981-7098 is in charge of arrangements.
