Lucy Futrell

L. Lucille (Lucy) Augustine Futrell passed peacefully on Sept. 21st in Ames, Iowa, just a few days before her 96th birthday. She was born on Sept 26, 1929, in Rose Hill, Iowa and grew up there on a farm; she had many memories of the animals on the farm--chickens, cows, sheep and kittens. Her early life was shaped by the hard work of farm life and the Depression era. She worked and saved her own money so she could go to college at Iowa State and worked in the Memorial Union cafeteria where she met her husband, Gene. Lucy and Gene were married on Nov 22, 1950, and moved to Santa Ana, CA while Gene served in the Marines during the Korean War. They returned to Ames and lived in married student housing while Gene finished his master's degree on the GI Bill. Three of their children were born in Ames. The family moved to Columbus, Ohio where Gene earned his PhD, and their fourth child was born. The family returned to Ames in 1963 and spent many happy years living on Annear Street. Lucy was active in the Collegiate United Methodist church and served in the Stephen Ministry, supporting members of the congregation. She actively supported the church becoming a welcoming congregation...[more]

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LGBTQ members. She was a Camp Fire Girls leader, active in PEO and the Iowa State University Faculty Women's Club. She sewed and knitted many of her children's clothes and taught all of her children to sew. She was an excellent cook and baker, kept a large garden and made grape jelly from her own grapes every year. Lucy made sure the kids had music lessons, art lessons, swimming lessons, and sports. There was always music playing in her home. Lucy took the kids to a local travelogue series every year, teaching them about other cultures and places in the world. She loved to travel and planned family trips every summer to different parts of the country depending on where Gene's Ag Econ meetings were held. Lucy shared her love of animals with her family and taught her children about nature and the world, through camping, museums, national parks and historical sites, hikes, and time spent on both grandparents' farms. Family was important to Lucy and we visited with relatives often. Lucy and Gene travelled a lot, and after Gene passed in 1991, she continued to travel to many places including Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. She was a lifelong ISU Cyclones fan, especially women's basketball. She loved to read and kept a list of all the books she read. Lucy moved to Green Hills Retirement Community in 2012 and lived in a townhouse there for many years. The family extends a special thank you to the staff at Green Hills and Suncrest Hospice, especially for her care in the past few years and months. Lucy was preceded in death by her parents, LJ and Letha (Kendall) Augustine of Oskaloosa, IA; siblings, Dorothy Augustine Fife, Frank Augustine, MG Augustine; husband Gene; and an infant son. She is survived by her children: Susan (Will Jennings) of Iowa City; Jo of Santa Rosa, CA; Steve (Alice) of Clear Lake; and Bill of Des Moines; the grandkids she adored, Harrison of Cedar Rapids and Lydia of Astoria, NY; and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers and other remembrances, the family suggests that memorials be directed to Collegiate United Methodist Church of Ames or Iowa State Reiman Gardens, and sent to the attention of the Futrell family, care of Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care, 414 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa, 50010. Memorial service arrangements are incomplete at this time.