Zandra "Nan" LaFitte

Zandra "Nan" LaFitte was born on July 19, 1950, in Gallipolis, Ohio, to Bernard "Pat" LaFitte and Gertrude "Lucille" LaFitte. She was the oldest of four children in a close- knit family.

Nan attended the University of Houston - Downtown, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in Sociology. She worked in several fields in her early adult life starting in a hospital, a pharmacy, before a long and successful career in insurance. All this before finding her true calling as a Youth Director at Ashford UMC, and later First Methodist Church Alvin, Texas. Nan ended her work outside the home teaching three year olds at Wesley Academy in Houston. Through all these working opportunities she made life long friends, touching countless lives through her faith and leadership.

She made her home in Houston, Texas, and was married to John Canter for 36 wonderful years. Together, they built a life centered on love, family, and faith.

Zandra was the heart of her family known for laughter, and her fierce love. To know her was to feel known, seen, and cherished. She never met a stranger. Her warmth could fill a room, and her smile and her signature perfume made her unforgettable. She had a way of making everyone feel like family.

One of her favorite sayings was, "I love you more," and those words will live on in the hearts of everyone who loved her. She also had a sharp sense of humor and a love of language, often reminding her family, "Never end a sentence in a preposition."

Her life was one of service and devotion. She was a proud supporter of Compassion International, and Servants in Faith and Technology (SIFAT), where her faith and passion for serving others found deep purpose. As a youth director, she mentored and encouraged countless young people, planting seeds of hope and kindness in every life she touched. One of her greatest joys was taking mission and outreach trips with youth groups experiences that brought her immeasurable happiness and allowed her to make lasting memories with the next generation.

Nan was an extraordinary cook famous for her meat pies and just about anything she put her hands on in the kitchen. Her meals brought people together, and her table was always full of food, laughter, and love.

She enjoyed the simple pleasures of life: beach days, family reunions, and the charm of Natchitoches, Louisiana. She loved watching The Voice, videos of dogs and babies, and was captivated by the aerial grace of the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels.

Her proudest accomplishment was always her family. She wasn't just a mother she was a best friend, a listener, a safe place, and a guiding light.

Nan is preceded in death by her loving parents, Pat and Lucille and her beloved sister Mickey Bowles. Nan is survived by her husband John Canter; sons Trey Hamblet and wife Megan, and Travis Hamblet and wife Jody; her daughter Miranda Postel and son Joseph Canter; seven grandchildren; one great-grandchild; brother Darrell LaFitte; sister Patty Doss; and a wide circle of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

The family invites all who knew Nan to join in a celebration of her life a reflective gathering to honor her legacy of love, faith, and service.

Suggested Memorials are Compassion International, or Servants in Faith and Technology (SIFAT).