Age 87
Sister Lucy lived her motto “Serve the Lord with Gladness” which was reflected in her spritely motions and dedication to her ministry of education.
Born in San Francisco, California, to parents from Guadalajara, Mexico, she grew up in St. Peter’s Parish where she was taught by the Sisters of Mercy in elementary and high school. After high school graduation she entered the Sisters of Mercy in Burlingame, California.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Russell College then began a ministry of over 50 years of teaching first and second grades in Catholic Schools in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as in Southern California. From early on, she noticed that some students were bright but were having difficulty with reading, the key to all other learning. She earned a master’s degree in special education at San Francisco State College to help innumerable children have a strong educational beginning.
Next, she volunteered as a teacher’s aide for 26 years at her alma mater, St. Peter’s. She also volunteered at Marian Oaks Life Center in Burlingame, California, helping older sisters. Always generous with her time, she studied cosmetology in order to provide regular expert haircuts to the sisters in retirement.