Esther Licali Harrison

Esther Licali Harrison passed away peacefully at her home in Covington, while surrounded by love on Saturday, November 19, 2022. She was born Esther Mary Licali on March 21, 1939, was a lifelong resident of New Orleans, and moved to St. Tammany Parish in 2008.

She is survived by her daughter, Nicole Moss Dorignac; granddaughter, Margaret Nicole Dorignac; and son-in-law, Joseph P. Dorignac, IV (Jody). She is also survived by many, many, many loving cousins and friends, who she all loved dearly. She was preceded in death by her mother, Esther Newhouse Gallagher (1978); husbands, William K. Harrison (2001) and John E. Moss (2005); father, Peter Joseph Licali (2007); and her oldest and most delicate precious daughter, Gaylane Marie Bonck (2008).

She attended St Joseph’s Academy Elementary and High School. You usually only had to meet Esther once, and you would not forget her. She was well known for many things; particularly her love of cooking and good food, entertaining, and her ability to do most any craft she attempted with success. If she was anything, she was a talented, creative, and vibrant person. She was also an amazing seamstress, and made many dresses and outfits for friends and family. Her talents always inspired small business ventures. She was owner of “The Gift Barrel” in the late 70’s and early 80’s, and this is where she established herself as an avid hobby and crafts businessperson and teacher. She taught numerous children and adults the many skills in crafting, dip and drape, to macramé and tole, acrylic and oil painting, and was one of the innovators in the beading craft craze.

Esther was a big part of the Mardi Gras and parade season, and was known by many as the “cane lady”. If you got a paper flower along any of the routes at a parade in New Orleans or Metairie during the Mardi Gras season all the way through St. Patrick’s and St. Joseph’s Day, chances are you got one of her flowers. She loved Christmas and the holidays… she loved cooking the huge family meals, decorating the house and her tree, and shopping for the ones she loved. She had a flair for everything. She loved life and did things her way… all the way until her last day. She is at peace now with her mother and oldest daughter, where she has wanted to be for a long time. She will be missed, loved, and remembered by many, young and old. She touched everyone she met in some way.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Mass in the chapel of Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in New Orleans, on Friday, December 2, 2022 at 1:00PM. A visitation will be held at the funeral home beginning at 11:00AM. The interment will follow the Mass in Metairie Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Esther’s memory to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church & International Shrine of St. Jude, 411 N. Rampart St., New Orleans, LA 70112, www.judeshrine.com.

To view and sign the online guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com.