Laura Menefee

Laura Menefee, 103, died peacefully in her sleep on April 18, 2015 at her home in Seattle, Washington. She was born to O.F. and Mariah Foster on April 5, 1912 in a small country town called Hillister, Texas. She had five sisters and five brothers. Raised on a farm, as one of the eldest, she plowed the fields, made butter, buttermilk and baked, as well as many other farm related chores. Laura’s education did not go passed the eighth grade.

In her early twenties, Laura relocated to Lufkin, Texas. There she worked as a housekeeper for white families, one of the only jobs a black woman could be hired for during that era. Even though she cooked the meals, she was not permitted to eat in the house, but was instead made to eat on the back porch. While in Lufkin, in November of 1933, she gave birth to her only child, Lorene. In 1965, Laura followed suit of her sister Irene and daughter Lorene by relocating to Seattle. She retired from Virginia Mason after several years as a housekeeper. Through the years, she provided child care for others, in addition to helping raise her nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Laura was a Christian, added to the Church of Christ through baptism early in life. She loved to sing as a teenager and was the leader of a small group comprised of other teens from the area. In Seattle, Laura was a proud and faithful member of the King Street Church of Christ and later the Holgate Street Church of Christ. She was very active in the church and enjoyed putting on teas and fashion shows, working with the sewing committee, providing clothes to people in need, and visiting those who were sick. She said she never missed a Sunday until a few years ago.

She was known for her keen sense of style and classy attire. She had a love for shopping at The Bon Marché and Frederick & Nelson, where she could always be found after work on Fridays. Hats were an essential part of her attire, so she’d often shop at Henrietta’s on Madison. She and Irene showed off their hats at church fashion shows and often won prizes. Laura loved baking pies, cakes and cooking at family gatherings. To hear her tell it, she also mastered making the perfect pitcher of sweet tea.

She kept active by taking water aerobics classes at the downtown YMCA and at 92, had to stop due to their closure for remodeling. Laura believed she lived a long life because she had not yet fulfilled God’s purpose for her. She also attributed it to keeping stress levels low and following God’s direction.

Laura loved the Lord and her family. She was the matriarch. The one everyone looked up to. The last survivor of all her siblings. Laura is survived by her loving daughter Lorene Grant, grandchildren; Marilyn Grant and Jeffrey Johnson, Sr. (Dawn), great grandchildren; Chester Lamar Grant, Jeffrey Johnson, Jr., Je’Nia Johnson, Chase Malone, Oniel Lucrisia and great-great grandson JaVay Johnson-Locke. She is further survived by local nieces and nephews; Milli Ball, Steve Cowan (Didi), their children Rodney, Malik and Jason, Gwendolyn Foster (California) and a host of other nieces and nephews, along with her church family and friends. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by five sisters; Mary Jane Foster, Addie Gilder, Cora Parker, Rosetta Rollins, Irene Johnson and five brothers; John L. Foster, Al C. Foster, Hezekiah Foster, Joe Foster, Esker Foster and grandson, Anthony Jones.