Loretha Nacoste

Loretha Nacoste was born on Nov. 15, 1931 in Opelousas, Louisiana to Frank Nacoste Jr. and Helen Augustine. Prior to learning English, Loretha and her siblings spoke French Creole in their home. When Frank Nacoste Jr.'s employment took him to the Pacific Northwest, Loretha and her siblings moved to Oregon to be near him.

For many decades Loretha worked as a housekeeper, factory worker, and a babysitter. During her lifetime, Loretha was a member of several civic and religious organizations, including Holy Redeemer Church,NAACP, Order of Eastern Star, AARP,and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Peter Claver, Court # 225, St Martin Deporres. She also enjoyed listening to Gospel music, gardening, collecting rare coins as well as researching family genealogy.

However Loretha will be best remembered by family, friends, and even neighbors, as a fabulous cook and early advocate of "tough love." Her bluntness, honesty, and genuine love made her a surrogate grandmother to countless children and adults. We will miss her generosity, wisdom, courage, and playful sense of humor.

Loretha is preceded in death by her parents, an infant daughter born during her marriage to Peter Brown, and also by her two sisters: Loubertha Nacoste Jelks and Mary Lucille Nacoste. Her surviving relatives include two brothers and four sisters:Joseph Nacoste,James Nacoste, Katherine Nacoste Dorris, Velma Nacoste Nabors, Mary Grace Nacoste Hayes, and Gwen Nacoste. Many nieces and nephews, cousins, grand nieces and grand nephews, and even great grand ones are left to celebrate her life and mourn her passing away.

Loretha Nacoste: A Celebration of life

We call you by many names;

To our beloved sister, aunt, neighbor, and friend:

Loretha

Aunt Rita

Tee Tee

Miss Rita

Reet

Miss Reet

Mrs. Brown

Ms. Nacoste

Lady Loretha.

Rest in Peace

Loretha Nacoste: A Celebration of Life

DON'T FORGET THE FOOD..

Loretha cooked baked, fried, smothered, stewed, sautéed, boiled, barbecued, and canned tasty, flavorful, scrumptious meals. Like her cooking, she was spicy, bold and soulful. Loretha's food was nourishment, affection, comfort, hope, and love. So let me count the varieties of ways her love took expression:

A rack of barbecued ribs

A slice of Sweet Potato pie

A bowl of Gumbo and rice

A pan of freshly baked cornbread

A pot of cabbage or greens laced with pork trimmings

A plate of hot buttered grits

A mason jar of homemade peaches next to a pan of homemade biscuits

A simmering pot of oxtail soup

A refrigerated pan of banana pudding with vanilla wafers

Several slices of ginger bread, pumpkin bread, or even zucchini bread

Don't forget the pork crackers, hogshead cheese, Or thick slabs of bacon

Saucers of peach cobbler and a tub of whipped cream

And of course she always made rice dressing aka "dirty rice," don't you call it "Cajun rice"

Holy Scripture

I am the Resurrection, and the Life: Whoever believes in me, though he should die, will come to life; and whoever is alive and believes in me will never die.

John 11:25-26

Acknowledgments

The family of Loretha Nacoste offers a heartfelt thanks to everyone who visited, phoned, prayed, or sent cards, plants or food to Loretha during her illness.

Special thanks to:

Dr. Megan Chandler MD, Dr. Partha Raguram MD., The Staff of Providence Hospice, The staff of Porthaven Healthcare Center, The Staff of Piedmont Post Office, The Staff of DSI Northeast Renal Center, Dave Yoast/ Amramp, and Grover Clegg.

Arrangements under the direction of Caldwell's, Hennessey, Goetsch & McGee Funeral Home, Portland, OR.