Doris Mae Kostmayer Aicklen

Doris Mae Kostmayer Aicklen passed away peacefully on March 11, 2025. Doris lived a vibrant, substantive, and rewarding life and took great pride in the city that she would spend her entire life, New Orleans. She was born on November 4, 1930. A graduate of both Dominican High School and Dominican College she married Bill Aicklen in 1953. They were married for 61 loving years before his passing in 2014. Together they raised a family while she simultaneously pursued a career in real estate. Doris quickly became a top selling agent at Wagner and Truax, winning multiple awards before venturing out on her own, forming Kostmayer-Aicklen Realty in 1977. She had a keen sense of the city and its neighborhoods. The most rewarding part of her job was connecting first time buyers with their "dream home' in her dream city.
Doris' love of New Orleans was on display throughout her life. She could be found walking the family dog, Chance, throughout Audubon Park,Thanksgiving at the Fairgrounds, or as a Saints season ticket holder at Tulane Stadium and later the Dome. She enjoyed the endless dining options throughout the city, as well as learning to cook many of the city's signature dishes. (A cookbook of her recipes was compiled and resides in family kitchens throughout the country) Doris found time to serve as a volunteer tutor of English at Our Lady of Lourdes and was active in St. Stephens Church and supported their many charitable initiatives.
"Kosie", as she was affectionately known, was all about family. After having travelled with Bill to see how the world matched up to New Orleans, her travel soon became more family centric. She was resolved to attend all of her grandchildren's milestone events, from baptisms to college graduations. With her family living in various parts of the country, she was determined to make sure that each of her grandchildren would know their cousins as if they lived down the street from each other. The family would gather for summer destination vacations, Christmas and New Year, and of course Mardi Gras.
One of her real estate goals was to someday live on the parade route, a goal that she proudly fulfilled. In her later years nothing prevented her from joining friends and family on the route where she would be given more beads than she weighed and even got serenaded by the 610 Stompers. Recently, with her health in decline, she was able to watch one last Mardi Gras from her window on Napoleon. And once again her family descended on the city to be with her and perhaps to say their heartfelt goodbyes.
Her lasting legacy will be the examples she set as a strong role model, a successful businesswoman, and an adoring mother and grandmother. She opened her heart and home to countless visitors and made an enduring impression on each of them. Kosie will be remembered for a vibrancy and resilience matching that of her beloved city. She will be deeply missed by her 3 children, Lynn Franklin (Jeffrey)(Savannah), Joann Lammons (Richard) (Houston) and Mimi Cleary (Mike) (Boston), her 7 grandchildren Paul, Elizabeth, John, Louise, Rich, Mikey and Kathryn and her 3 great grands Lucy, Cora and Aubrey. Relatives and friends are invited to attend services at St Stephens on Napoleon Ave. on April 5th. Rosary held at 1045am followed by a funeral mass at 1100am. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St Stephens Restoration or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Schoen and Sons Funeral Home.