Lucy Luce
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Lucy Luce (nee Morse) born 9/20/1950 passed away peacefully at the KC Hospice House on 1/13/2022. She was listening to the Rosary and holding the hand of her beloved granddaughter, Emmi-Jean. She was 71 years old.
Lucy, a born renegade, had a fun sense of humor and a knack for education. After graduating from Avila University with a Degree in Education she taught the 7th grade at NorthEast Junior High in Kansas City, MO for several years. It was often mentioned that she had one foot into heaven’s door for choosing to teach 7th grade. She went on to complete her Master’s Degree in Curriculum from the University of Missouri, Kansas City.
Anyone that knew Lucy well knew two things about her: she loved school supplies and she loved to serve the underserved. She was an inspiration to many students, teachers and anyone that needed a post-it note. Long after her retirement she buy school supplies and donate them to various schools in the Kansas City area.
Lucy is preceded in death by the love of her life, Raymond H. Luce who bought her flowers every Saturday; daughters Michelle and Michaela Shearman. She is survived by daughter Kimberly K. Shearman RN, BSN (Gary Kommel); daughter Dr. Kelly J. Logan; two sisters Katie Kays and Mary Mahoney. She had four grandchildren: Emmilynn Shearman, Augie, Albert and Birdie Luce Walsh. She had several nieces and nephews and was particularly close to Lisa Barth (nee Kays) and Lori Kays.
As a lifelong educator, her wish was that her remains be donated to science to benefit the future of healthcare workers.
On Wednesday I randomly thought about my Aunt Lucy and didn’t know why. That night I made the family cookies from her side of the family without really knowing why. As I pulled the last sheet of burnt cookies (so on brand for both of us) from the oven, I got a message that Lucy wasn’t doing well. She died on Thursday.
I wasn’t able to say goodbye since things happened so fast and I’m far away, but if I had, I would have thanked her for getting me past my paralyzing fear of public speaking (she made me a puppet and took me for funnel cake and a pep talk so I could hide but still give a speech for class), she helped me learn to read and study when I was sure I was dumb and would fail out of school, and she encouraged me to come to DC and start my life when I was having a hard time doing so. I owe so much to her and think of her all the time when I parent, make decisions, and, most of all, when I laugh. Lucy was the funniest person I’ve ever met, and she helped me cultivate my sense of humor as a way of dealing with bullies.
May we all have an Aunt Lucy in our lives, may we be an Aunt Lucy when someone needs us to be, and may we do better than I did and tell them as often as we can.
I am thinking of Emmi, Kelly and Kim and my mom at this time with lots of love.