Lucille Vera Longie

Lucille V. Longie, 85, St. Michael, North Dakota, died Sunday, March 6, 2005 at the Good Samaritan Center, Devils Lake. Funeral Services for Lucille will be held on Friday, March 11, 2005 at 11:00 a.m. at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake. Deacon Tony McDonald will officiate and Tony and Vina McDonald will provide the music for the service. Friends may call at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Thursday from 1:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and on Friday from 9:00 a.m. until time of service. On September 24, 1919, a daughter was born to bless the marriage of Charles and Mary Beatrice (Tulk) Lewis who resided in Sioux City, Iowa. Lucille Vera Lewis grew and flourished into a woman who was pivotal to her family and a legend to her friends. It was in 1967, that Lucille would find someone with an equally expansive heart, nurturing spirit and thirst for adventure, to match her own. Lucille married Mathews “Joe” Longie, her true soul mate. Lucy’s surviving children: Judith (Jerry) Otto, Carleen (Leon) Steinhauer, Dan (Laura) Becker and Joseph Longie were taught well at their mother’s knee the important ideals in life. Ideals that would open their minds; that there is power in truth, spoken out loud; humility and honor in compassion; and that challenges and gifts in life should be met with gusto and embraced. In their mother’s loving arms, her grateful children learned how family is a circle that can grow and fill itself and renew itself, every minute of every day, with love and support. And that there was always room for one more set of hands to join them. In Lucy’s 15 grandchildren: Jon, Jodee, Tim, Tom, Terry, Jeff, Amy, Emily, Joel, Aaron, Eric, Jason, Nathan, Olivia and Whitney lays the inspiration from their beloved grandmother, that miracles abound in this life, under a rock on which they have stepped in a sunset or the kiss of a snowflake on their cheeks. In Lucy’s 21 great grandchildren, Sara, Lara, April, Cody, Marcus, Andrew, Alexis, Patrick, Isabella, Josh, Jake, Jacy, Chris, Corey, Noah, Jordan, Hayley, Madison, Lucas, Tyler and Gracie she could witness yet another clutch of an eager group of young chicks, looking to her for guidance to fly. And in Lucy’s great great grandsons Dayne, Coltan, Jamison and Isaiah she could envision that the seeds she had sown in this life, had taken deep roots and would grow tall and travel wide. While Lucille grazed the fertile soil of Iowa most of her life, the call of the tall pines in Bemidji moved the family there in 1977. A poet who could turn a phrase with one hand, she could also pitch a tent with the other. The outdoors inspired her on all levels. Then in 1982, the rustle of prairie grass inspired her move to St. Michael, North Dakota loving brood in tow. All her life was dedicated to nurture those who surrounded her. This gift she extended to all she touched, including a lifetime of work in food service. This service included a lunch counter she opened at the Bingo Palace. Lucy knew nourishment came in all forms: sometimes a hot meal, sometimes an ear to listen. Lucille was in all senses a good hearted woman. She could draw out the most timid of people with the bawdiest of jokes. She could throw back a straight whiskey and water and not bat an eye. She could dance on a dime. Lucy could heal the worst kind of hurt in a child and melt a hardened heart with a word. Lucille was a human being who knew that life is brimming with chances-but ya gotta pick up the dice and roll. We will love her forever, think of her often and smile when we do. Join us in celebration of a remarkable woman. She is also survived by her sister, Ruth Schleis and brother, Raymond Lewis Lucy was preceded in death by her parents; son, Larry Becker; brother, Paul Lewis and sister, Betty Jean Wise.