Gregory Joseph LaCoste

Gregory Joseph LaCoste Sr., 88 years old of Frederick, Maryland, passed away Sept. 23, 2024. Born July 8, 1936, at home in Foley, Alabama to Orlean Weeks LaCoste and Joseph Wilfred LaCoste. 

He is survived by his loving wife Joanne V. Stup LaCoste and his 3 sons. Gregory J. LaCoste Jr. (Judy) of Centennial, CO, Keith A. LaCoste (Debra) of Walkersville, MD, Randy J. LaCoste (Sandy) of Warminster, PA. He was known as Pappy to his Grandkids and Great Grandkids, Sarah LaCoste (Brody), Megan Ruble (Gary), Austin LaCoste, Jordan De Padua (John), Sydney and Trevor LaCoste. Great Grandkids Hailey Fink and James Ruble. Brother Donald LaCoste (Rose) of Phoenix, AZ and a sister Betty Jo Estes of Jackson, MS.  Also, many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. 

His dad was a fisherman, and his mother was a waitress, his dad died at the age of 34 of pneumonia. The family then moved to Biloxi to live with Aunt Alma, Barber Johnny and Rose until his mom got a job as a waitress at the army base. She passed away in 1956 of cancer at the age of 49. Greg enlisted in the Army National Guard in Mississippi in 1952 at the age of 16 to help support the family. After he finished boot camp he went back to high school and graduated in 1954, while also training on weekend drills. He played high school sports (basketball, football), and participated in the school’s Singing Quartet group, and plays. While in the Army National Guard he came to Frederick and was stationed with the 29th 115th Infantry Division. He was a sharpshooter; him and his buddies were on the rifle team, and they won numerous awards for their expert shooting. He went to the highest rank as a Sergeant Major E9 non-commission officer. I asked him one day why he didn’t become an Officer, when his closest friends were moving up, and he said, “when you move up, you are in a higher political stage of enlistment, and I loved my men and I want to stay with them.” Then he met Joanne and that was the beginning of his new life and what an adventure it was. 

Please join us to celebrate his life at Stauffer’s Funeral Home, 1621 Opposumtown Pike, Frederick, MD. Viewing is Friday from 6pm to 8pm and Saturday 12pm to 1pm. The service will be held Saturday following the viewing at 1pm.