Lucille Leona (Brown) Elder

It is with great respect and love that we announce the passing of Lucille Leona (Brown) Elder, who left this world at the age of 93 on March 20th at Boulder Park Terrace in Charlevoix, MI.  Lucille was born July 9, 1931 in Alanson to Claud and Elizabeth (VanDerMaas) Brown. She was proud of her Dutch heritage and was the youngest of 11 children, which earned her the affectionate nickname, “Babe”.

She graduated from Pellston High School in 1949 and that year married Albert H. Elder Jr. in July. Al was in the Army Air Force as a Propellor Specialist and they moved a number of times from Pellston to Flint to California and back to Petoskey in 1953, where they made their forever home.

Lucille worked at various jobs through her life as a sewing instructor, bookkeeper, and finally retiring from what was Little Traverse Hospital where she was an insurance biller.

Her home was a place of comfort, filled with laughter, cherished traditions, and the aroma of her famous cooking. There was always an extra place open at her table for whomever dropped in, and someone was always dropping in! No one ever walked away hungry from Lucille’s table.

She was known for her love of God and her Church where she was a Sunday School teacher, worship leader, and sang in the choir. Sundays were her favorite day of the week with her brothers and sisters returning home for a big dinner after church. Following supper, they would retire to the den where they would sing hymns, dance, and laugh. She loved her entire family and especially her cherished grandchildren.

Lucille was preceded in death by her husband, Albert, her parents Claud and Elizabeth, her brothers Russel, Don, Paul, Frank, and her sisters Marie, Hazel (Shorter), Dorothy (Diot), Evelyn (Gerish), Eleanor (Rowden), Irma (Maybank). She is survived by her children: Terry Elder (Ami Mateskon) of Petoskey, Pam Elder Wixson of Cheboygan, and Gaye Elder Hodge (Jack) of Charlevoix who will forever carry her lessons and love in their hearts. She is also survived by her three grandchildren who she loved more than life itself: Dean Burley of Colorado Springs, Delaney Hodge Moore (Garret) of Ann Arbor, and Allie Hodge of Ann Arbor, and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to Michigan Veteran Homes, StandinguptoPOTS.org, or McLaren Hospice of Northern Michigan in her honor. And a special thank you from her family to the staff at Boulder Park Terrace!

Rest in peace Nama Lucy, and give Papa a kiss for us. We love you more!

Per Lucille's wishes, there are no services planned at this time.

Arrangements are in the care of the Charlevoix Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Please sign her online guestbook at www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com