Loretta Joseph Lahout

Loretta Joseph Lahout, 92
LITTLETON––Loretta Joseph Lahout, 92, passed away peacefully on 22 March 2013 in the hospice room of Littleton Regional Hospital after a brief illness. She was surrounded by her close, adoring family.

Born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania on 8 February 1921, she was the daughter of James and Najeebie Joseph (formerly Najeebie Balan), both immigrants from Homs, Syria. Raised with ten other siblings (six sisters and four brothers), she grew up in a loving and close-knit family, to whom she frequently returned to visit, after marrying, with her husband and children.

Loretta was a 1939 graduate of Greensburg High School. After graduation, she remained in Greensburg, where she worked at Robertshaw, a manufacturing plant, on the assembly line for military aircraft parts during World War II. She later helped to manage the family business, Joseph Children's Shop, together with four of her sisters and, after it was sold, she worked as the only woman sales clerk in the men's clothing section of Royer's Department Store. Loretta was an active member of the St. Michael's Antiochian Orthodox Church, the Orontes Girls Club and the Greensburg Bowling League.

In 1953, she married Joseph H. Lahout and moved to Littleton, New Hampshire, where she worked together with him, his mother Annie and sister Gladys in operating Lahout's Country Store and Ski Shop (later Lahout's Country Clothing and Ski Shop). Not wanting to be far away from her husband ("big Joe"), Loretta insisted on raising her four children, Joseph Jr., Nina, Ronald and Herbert in the apartment above the ski shop (where her husband was born), which was always a busy hub for friends, extended family and visiting customers, who were also lured by the aromas of her delicious food. Loretta had one main mission in life, which was to take care of her family and to run a nurturing household. During the course of 60 years, she served as a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother, indefatigable in taking every step possible to provide a comforting, supportive and fun-filled home for all of them. In her later role of doting grandmother (known as "situ"), she absolutely relished the sounds of the footsteps of her five grandchildren running up the stairs to visit her: Joseph, Anthony, Phebe, Zachary and Olivia and they each became an integral and treasured part of her life. Nothing made her happier than when she was surrounded by her children and grandchildren (and their many friends), whether it was cooking and serving a big meal for them around the kitchen table, cheering them on at every sporting event in which they participated (wherever it was), taking them on fishing and swimming outings to Echo Lake, or traveling for a weekend to Boston to watch the Red Sox play at Fenway Park. Though not a sportsman (or skier) herself, she was the consummate and loyal spectator who enjoyed being part of any cheering crowd and was often heard with her shouts and distinguishing piercing whistle, whether around the television set or a playing field, sitting on the bleachers or her fold-out chair. She also ensured that her children took their homework assignments seriously and met every deadline and could fastidiously help research anything one of them needed to know with her set of encyclopedias and other books.

In addition to her passion for fishing (also reflected by the worm patch she groomed with her kids in the backyard), attending every school and sporting event of her children and grandchildren, watching all types of sports on television and cooking for everyone, she enjoyed shopping (for anything and everything), yard sales and auctions, entertaining relatives who visited and sitting on the porch above the store. In later years, she and her husband spent many sunny summer afternoons on the porch, adorned with hanging flowering plants, and those hours were interspersed with regular chatting with those walking by and paying visits upstairs. She was also very proud of her Syrian heritage and, through her sharing of cultural traditions, music and cuisine as well as her elegant solo dancing at many Syrian and Lebanese family events, instilled this sense of pride in all of her children. Her beautiful smile, distinguishable hair bun, quick wit, gentle manner and impeccable dress would always make her presence noticeable and, together with her warmth, would brighten up any room.

Besides her husband Joseph Sr. of 60 years, she is survived by her four loving children: sons Joseph Lahout Jr. and wife Susan, Ronald Lahout and wife Lynn and Herbert Lahout, all of Littleton and daughter Nina Lahoud and partner Hocine of New York, as well as her five grandchildren, Joseph, Anthony, Phebe, Zachary and Olivia Lahout. She is also survived by two of her siblings, Mrs. Jeanne Anton and Mr. Ronald Joseph of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, as well as a large number of her beloved nephews and nieces (including Philippa Evans of Littleton) and great-nephews and great-nieces, many of whom made visits to see her. A devoted and unconditionally loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-aunt, she was adored and relished by all of her family who will deeply miss her as she was such an instrumental and inspirational part of their lives. But everyone is also so thankful to have been blessed with her uplifting presence and unadulterated love and support for so many years.

A service will be held on 18 May 2013 (Saturday) at 11 a.m. at the St. Rose of Lima Church in Littleton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Loretta Lahout Snuggly Winter Clothing Fund - Lakeway Elementary School, in care of the Bank of New Hampshire, 125 Main Street, Littleton, New Hampshire, 03561. This will carry on Loretta's tradition of taking joy in providing winter clothing to needy children attending Lakeway Elementary School.