Claudiette Helen Moreland

Today, we honor and celebrate the life of Claudiette Helen Moreland, lovingly known as Claudia to those fortunate enough to know and cherish her. Born on September 20, 1957, in Portland, Oregon, Claudia was raised on 14th and Wygant in Northeast Portland, where she was surrounded by the love of family, the support of lifelong friends, and a strong foundation of faith. These cherished influences helped shape the remarkable woman she worked to become.

Many who knew Claudia described her as one of the sweetest people they had ever met. She greeted the world with a warm, welcoming smile that could brighten any room. Quick-witted and exceptionally sharp with numbers, she built a successful career at Benjamin Franklin Bank on Union Avenue, now known as Wells Fargo on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Claudia's generosity was woven into the fabric of her daily life. She was always ready to lend a helping hand, prepare a meal for someone in need, or bring family and friends together to celebrate life's special moments. Whether it was a birthday gathering or simply an ordinary day made extraordinary by her cooking and hospitality, Claudia found joy in caring for others and creating lasting memories around her table.

She loved a good fried pork chop and a hearty serving of pinto beans. She adored sweets of every kind—chocolate bars, gummy bears, Laffy Taffy, and just about any candy you could imagine. It was a rare occasion when you couldn't find a sweet treat tucked away in her purse, ready to share or enjoy herself. Above all, Claudia's greatest love was her family. She cherished her children, grandchildren, and extended family with all her heart. As her children, we often reflect on the many ways she shaped who we are. One of the greatest gifts she gave us was a love of reading and learning. During our formative years, she faithfully ordered us a new book every two weeks from the local bookstore, nurturing our curiosity, expanding our horizons, and instilling in us a lifelong appreciation for knowledge. Her investment in our growth was an expression of her unwavering belief in our potential and her deep commitment to our future.

We were always filled with excitement when the books arrived in front of our home, delivering a new collection of books to explore. Those moments, simple as they may have seemed at the time, helped shape our imaginations, broaden our understanding of the world, and cultivate a lifelong love of learning. The values and lessons instilled during those formative years helped make us who we are today—as wives, husbands, parents, professionals, and members of our communities. Like all lives, our mother's journey was beautifully complex. Yet today, we choose to hold close the very best parts of who she was: how hard she tried, how deeply she loved, and how wholeheartedly she gave of herself to those around her. We remember her warmth, her generosity, her resilience, and her unwavering devotion to her family.

We love you, Mommy. The best parts of you—your love, your strength, your kindness, and your spirit—live on in each of us. Your legacy is not only found in our memories, but in the lives we lead and the values we carry forward every day.
We honor you by striving to live lives worthy of the highest calling: to love generously, serve others faithfully, and give our very best in all that we do. We promise to carry your lessons with us, to keep loving, keep living, and keep doing our very best—just as you taught us.
We would be remiss not to share that our mother took her final breath while listening to Amazing Grace.
“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.”
The closing verses of Amazing Grace seem especially fitting today:
“The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below, Will be forever mine.”

She leaves behind four children Roy Williams II (partner Adrianne Quintanilla), Myisha Moreland (partner Terance Coleman), Alisha Moreland-Capuia (husband Daniel Capuia), Olan Williams (husband Frederick Williams); grandchildren Devin Williams, Keyara Williams, Curtis Waters, Tommy Waters, Quebriance Waters, Nene Manizan, Josiah Waters, Daniel Capuia Jr., Julieta Capuia; great grandchildren Mateo Williams, Nakiya Waters, Yeshua Waters, Nayani Waters; mother Gwendolyn Helen Moreland; siblings Nathaniel Moreland, Trent Moreland, Mitzi Williams (Moreland) DeAndre Moreland (wife LaTosha Moreland); nephews and nieces Nathaniel Moreland Jr., Shavaun Wright, Christopher Moreland, DeZhae Moreland, Lydre Moreland and aunts, uncles and a host of cousins. Her father Booker T. Moreland and our father Roy Williams, Sr. preceded her in death.

In lieu of gifts, the family asks that you please donate to The Capuia Foundation 501(3)c at www.thecapuiafoundation.org - all donations are tax deductible.

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