Loretta Cadle

Loretta was born January 2, 1934 in Chicago, Illinois to the late Jack Darby and Viola (Long) Stewart. She was affectionately called Ret. On March 31, 1951, she married her soul mate Clement "Bishop" Cadle, a partnership that lasted 63 years. Their union was blessed with five children, Jacqueline, Jeffrey (Elizabeth), Jennifer (Bobby L. Harris), Kevin (Lorraine) and Eric (Diane).

She was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband; both of her siblings, Rozetta Darby-McDowell and Jackie Darby; three children, Jacqueline, Eric and Kevin; and a grandson, Mario Cadle.

As the remaining matriarch, she was truly loved by her family who will always remember her wit and bellowing laughter. She was an excellent baker whose sweet tooth and recipes for dinner rolls, Blueberry Muffins, Fruit Cakes, Apple Pie 63 and Peanut Butter Cake will continue to nourish her family at holiday events and birthday parties. Her many nieces and nephews all have their own memories of what a great woman "Aunt Loretta" was and how supportive she was to the entire family foundation.

Loretta lived long enough to see five generations of the Cadle Family - 10 grandchildren; Shatiesha, Rob, Shayla, Toia, Sha-Ton, Kennedy, Jaclyn, Eric, Mario and August; 17 great-grandchildren Arison, Amiya, Antoine, Ashlyn, Taniyah, Deandre, Scarlett, Andrea, Dominique, Sirr, Asante, Ariah, Emanuel, Shiloh, Skyler, Aleia and Sadie with one on the way, and 2 great-great-grandchildren Summer and Halo grow up and live meaningful lives. Her no-nonsense approach to life served her children well and has been handed-down generation to generation.

She truly enjoyed the friendships she developed over the years, many of which developed through bowling and golf leagues and have lasted to the present day. Loretta and Bishop traveled extensively throughout their marriage and she continued traveling with visits to Kevin in London. Loretta believed that a woman's place was "in the House and the Senate" and exemplified that a woman should be in a position to support her family if the need arose. She worked in state government, the federal government and the private sector in retail and charity. She passed on this independent trait to her children and grandchildren but also to the many nieces and nephews in her extended family.

Loretta was a devoted mother who along with Bishop set an example of the dedication and devotion necessary to have a long and successful partnership. It is very telling in that her children have also shown the same dedication and commitment to marriage - Jeff and Isa have been married for 52 years; Jennifer and her late husband Bobby "Shat" Harris were been married 48 years: Eric and Diane Blackmon were partners for 26 years; and Kevin and Lorraine were truly soul mates.

Loretta and Bishop began married life in Buffalo, moved to Michigan due to the downturn in the automotive industry in the '80s; lived in Michigan for 12 years and retired to Phoenix. In Arizona, Loretta and Bishop fell in love with the sunshine and endless opportunities to play golf. Jennifer and Shat drove with them and their belongings to help them settle in their new home. The desert became a backdrop for frequent family visits and eventually Jeffrey and Isa moved there with their grandchildren to support their aging parents.

Loretta Darby Cadle will be lovingly remembered as a strong classy woman with much love to share. Even the staff who treated her during her extended illness were impressed by her feistiness and independence. We pray that her strength and the guidance that she provided will continue to resonate through all generations – her legacy and the memories of her heartfelt laughter will always be with each and every one of us.