Louise Elizabeth (Poppa) Nesta

     Louise Elizabeth Nesta, 96, of Knox, passed peacefully from her home to glory on Friday afternoon, August 2, 2024. She enjoyed a long and full life, blessing her family and those she came to know and love.

     Born April 29, 1928, in Linhart, PA, she was the youngest daughter of the late Michele and Maria Rose Poppa who immigrated to the US from Italy. Mrs. Nesta was a 1946 graduate of Turtle Creek High School. She married Francis J. Nesta on April 30, 1949 in the St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Wilmerding and spent her married life as a homemaker.  She enjoyed bowling, crocheting, playing cards and other social opportunities. She was a den mother for Cub Scout Pack 205, supporting her sons as they benefitted from the scouting experience and a brownie leader for her daughter. Louise was a very active member of the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge 82, serving as PA Deputy Grand Regent. She and her husband enjoyed square dancing as members of the Circle Eight Square dance club and brought the club to Keystone Elementary School as part of a curricular square dance unit for the entire school. The Nestas relocated to Knox in October 2001 and wasted no time getting involved in their new community.

     On a weekly basis, Louise prepared and hosted dinners for eight to twelve guests, quickly building relationships with neighbors and their new friends. Both she and her husband became active and faithful members of the Grace E.C. Church of Ninevah. Mrs. Nesta was a member of the Knox Civic Club and the Knox Golden Agers, a club founded by her husband to encourage camaraderie among senior citizens in the area. They worked side by side supporting the humanitarian efforts of Charitable Deeds and Services and the Knox Caring Cupboard Food Pantry.

     Louise enjoyed keeping her grandchildren and often spent holidays and vacations sharing adventures, even keeping all eleven grandkids (ages 14 and under) for a week at a time at their cottage in Bedford, PA. Her daily routine consisted of walking up and down the stairs 10 times, enthusiastically playing cards, crocheting afghans and “scrubbies”, and faithfully listening to the Lord’s Word. When a family wedding made the calendar, Louise spent days before making hundreds of filled Italian cookies, sharing her labor of love as a gift. Francis Nesta’s love for his ‘cooch’ was always on display as he watched her dance her way from dining room to kitchen, retold their love story to anyone who would listen, and ended each prayer blessing her.

     Louise proudly wore a shirt of their own design that read "I'm from KNOX -next to Heaven," distributing them to anyone who shared their enthusiasm and appreciation for their new home. Louise brought with her a deep love of the Pittsburgh Steelers, often rooting loudly for them even during instant replays. But the best part of relocating was having the opportunity to watch some of her grandchildren grow up. Concerts, musicals, sporting events and other activities quickly filled their calendar.

     Louise was preceded in death by her parents, her five brothers and four of her five sisters, her husband Francis and her daughter Norma Krouskop. She is survived by two sons, Francis and his wife Sharon of Knox and Dennis and his wife Susan of Nicholasville, KY and a son-in-law Don Krouskop of Columbus, OH.

     Grandchildren include Jamison Nesta and his wife Meghan of Eagleville, PA, Jonathan Nesta and his wife Laura of Nashville, TN, Kyle Nesta and his wife Michelle of Blue Bell, PA and Kristan Nesta and her fiancé Ross S. MacDonald of London, UK. Victoria Nesta and Dr. Tony Nesta of Lexington, KY, Alisa Jean and husband Stephen Hughes of Nicholasville, KY and Alex Nesta and wife Alie of Winder, GA; Shannon Walker and husband Ty of Gahanna, OH; Chad Heacock of Myrtle Beach, SC and Collin Heacock and wife Mary of Conway, SC.

     Greatgrandchildren include Boyd, Sutherland and Harley Nesta of Eagleville, PA; Myers Nesta of Blue Bell, PA; Arabella and Brie Heacock of Conway, SC; Avery and August Nesta of Winder, GA and Eva Hughes of Nicholasville, KY.

     Family and friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, August 9, 2024 at the William N. Rupert Mortuary, Inc., 430 Mendenhall Avenue, Knox, and from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, August 10 at Grace Evangelical Congregational Church, 2561 Grace Church Road, Knox (Ninevah).

     Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the church. Officiants for the service will be John Friedlund, Senior Pastor of Grace E.C. Church and Jamison Nesta, Executive Pastor of Storehouse Church in Plymouth Meeting, PA. Interment will follow at Starr Cemetery in Ninevah.

     Online condolences can be sent to the Nesta family at www.rupertfuneralhomes.com. (http://www.rupertfuneralhomes.com/)

      Memorial gifts can be made to Clarion/Forest VNA and Hospice, 271 Perkins Road, Clarion, PA and/or Caring Heart Companions, Inc. 865 Underwood Drive, Strattanville, PA 16258

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