Ida Marie DePonceau (née Sullins) from Athens, Alabama passed away peacefully on September 17th, 2026, living a full life until the age of 92. Beloved wife of the late Dominic DePonceau of Niagara Falls, NY and daughter of Thomas Lee and Nemo (née Carter) Sullins. She is survived by her five children – Thomas DePonceau, Donna (Stephen) Raymond, Douglas DePonceau, Jeffrey (Elizabeth) DePonceau, and Robert (Florence) DePonceau, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She joins her siblings in peace – Lena “Tootsie” Powell, June Walls, Max Sullins, Wanda Tate, Penny Sullins, and Jimmy Carter. Known affectionately as Gigi, Marie was a devout member of the Holy Roman Catholic Church and rarely missed her daily 2pm prayer time and faith recitations at home. She also enjoyed painting, needle-work, gardening (she could nurture any plant back to life), cooking, antiquing, watching mystery TV shows, eating frozen grapes and nutty buddies (not together mind you!), making her famous grape salad and her hummingbird-style cake with a creamy pineapple whip topping for family events, and spending time with family. Born and raised in the coal-mining town of McAlpin, West Virginia without electricity, running water, or indoor plumbing, Marie was a hardy and resourceful woman who moved to Niagara Falls to take a job as a switchboard operator at a telephone company, where she charmed northern callers with her southern accent. In Niagara Falls, she met both her life-long best friend, Marilyn, and a young Italian Navy sailor, Dominic, who stole her heart. Married in May 1953, Marie and Dominic built a life on Grand Island, NY with their five children, revolving around many Italian dinners and family time after mass on Sundays. In 1984, she and Dominic moved to Meridian, MS and then relocated to Athens, AL in 1994 where they resided for the remainder of their lives. Gigi saw a lot in her 92 years on earth, and the saying is true that every time a person who lived a long life dies, a library crumbles. She was full of wisdom and had excellent advice for anyone who would listen. She was also a salt of the earth person and was quick to share her mind. Her calm manner was a respite from the fast-paced world we live in today. She gave her loved ones tremendous joy, which they reciprocated in turn. Marie’s earliest memory of her affection towards her Savior Jesus was when she was walking to school in the morning and there was a tree on the side of the path with leaves that looked kind of “ferny”. When she looked up and saw the sunlight coming through, the thought in her head was that Jesus was smiling at her. She remembered it all her life and believed it to be true. We are happy she is in His presence and peace today, reunited with her husband of 54 years. She will be sorely missed. Visitation will be held at McConnell Funeral Home on 1200 E. Forrest St. in Athens, AL on Friday, September 25, 2026, from 11am-1pm, a service in her honor will be held at 1pm by a Christian burial in Roselawn Cemetery. September 20, 2026 by Lynn McMillen
