Sybil Joyce Matson Duet

Graveside Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 in Southwest Louisiana State Veterans Cemetery for Sybil Joyce Matson Duet, 83, who passed away on September 25, 2025. Mrs. Duet, a resident of Lafayette, was the daughter of the late Earl Leonard Matson and the former Helen Virginia Alexander. Born in Port Lavaca, Texas on October 14, 1941, Joyce was the only child of her loving parents, Helen and Earl Matson. She grew up in other cities along the Texas coast including Corpus Christi and Palacious, before moving to Morgan City, Louisiana in the 9th grade. It was there, living just a block away, that she met her future husband William “Bill” Duet. She excelled in Home Economics, representing her high school in state contests. She graduated from Morgan City High School in 1960 and in the same year, married her sweetheart. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary early this year. As a young couple, they lived in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Times were tough financially and money was scarce, so they lived in government low rent housing. Joyce worked first as a nurse’s aide at Ochsner Hospital, then as a telephone switchboard operator, and then as a secretary at State Farm Insurance. In 1965, they proudly became a military family when Bill entered the U.S. Army. They lived at Fort Hood, TX and Kansas City, MO before moving to Fort Leonard Wood, MO. They bought and developed a 10 acre farm in nearby Rolla, MO to breed thoroughbred race horses. Joyce was very involved as they had a very large garden. They also had chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, pheasants, quail, and rabbits. Their next assignment to Heidelberg, Germany instilled in them a love of travel. Joyce worked as a secretary in the Labor & Delivery unit at the U.S. Heidelberg Hospital and was an active member of the Officer’s Wives Club. The family spent many weekends traveling in their VW pop-up camper around Germany, neighboring France and Switzerland. Their final military assignment of Fort Knox found them on a 100 acre farm near Upton, KY where they raised thoroughbred race horses and tobacco. Joyce chose and edited the plans for a new house that they had built on the farm. Joyce’s parents moved from Texas into the tenant house that her family had been living in. After retirement from the Army, Joyce and Bill moved to Saudi Arabia for Bill’s work as a pediatric dentist for Aramco Oil Company. They spent their later years in Ozark, MO so that they could be close to grandchildren and moved to Lafayette, LA in 2023. Through their 65 years of marriage, Joyce thoroughly enjoyed being a mother, raising her four children: Tad, Kim, David, and Michelle. She found great joy in nurturing her children, then her grandchildren, and eventually her great grandchildren. She loved experiencing adventures with her husband. They traveled the world exploring new cultures and exotic destinations. They were particularly fond of Germany, returning 25 times over the years after they left in 1981. Another great joy of Joyce’s was her love of whale watching in Hawaii, Alaska, and Mexico. They learned to ski in the Alps while stationed in Heidelberg and continued that hobby for many years in Vail, CO with family and friends. Another great love of Joyce’s was watching hummingbirds. Bill nurtured plants and flowers that attracted hummingbirds for her enjoyment. Joyce and Bill developed friendships around the world which remain strong to this day. In June of 2025, Joyce was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer. Although managing chemotherapy well, on September 18th she developed pneumonia and sepsis and subsequently passed away early the morning of September 25, 2025. Joyce raised her four children in the Catholic faith. The family is very thankful that she was able to fulfill her wish of joining the Catholic Church before her passing. We want to thank all the people who helped to make that possible. Joyce will be remembered as a vibrant, loving woman with a big heart who leaves behind a husband, family and many friends who will miss her. She is survived by her beloved husband of 65 years, William J. Duet; children, Tad (Debbie) Duet, Kim D. (Vernon) Pruitt, and Michelle D. (Bruce) Crull; grandchildren, Lauren, Caitlin, Elizabeth, Connor, Olivia, Jacob, Ethan, Lillian, and Jake; great-grandchildren, Ava, Luke, Luna, and Eloise; son-in-law, William Charles Long; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. She was preceded in death by her son, David A. Duet; and her parents, Earl and Helen Matson. Pallbearers will be her family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to OCRA (Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance) in Joyce's memory. Personal condolences may be sent to the family of Sybil Joyce Matson Duet at: www.delhommefuneralhome.com Sybil Joyce Matson Duet and her family were cared for and entrusted with final arrangements to Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA. Copyright Delhomme Funeral Homes, Inc. September 2025.

Sybil Joyce Matson Duet

October 14, 1941 - September 25, 2025