Lucile D. Czanderna

Lucile Jean Delp Czanderna, 85, of Lakewood, CO died peacefully in her home in the early morning, Monday, April 23, 2012.

She was born on Feb. 3, 1927, in Lancaster, OH, the daughter of Floyd Adam and Anna Jane Shull Delp, baptized on March 6, 1927 and confirmed on March 17, 1940 at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Lancaster. Floyd was born in Columbus, OH in 1897 and Anna was born in Sugar Grove, OH in 1896. Lucile’s confirmation verse was “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). She indeed confessed her Christian faith during her entire life, and certainly exhibited the expected gifts from the Holy Spirit, i.e., love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22).

Lucy, as she has been known, attended East grammar school in Lancaster, OH and graduated from Lancaster High School in 1944. Later in life, she also took two years of college courses at Baldwin Wallace College, Berea, OH and SUNY-Potsdam, NY. From 1944 to 1953, she worked as a typist/secretary for Anchor Hocking Glass Corp. in Lancaster for 5 years and 4 years as a Civil servant at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH before she married her husband, Alvin W. on Feb. 14, 1953 in Dayton. From 1953 to 1978, Lucy engaged in various part-time employment activities, which included making and selling a homemade specialty candy. From 1978 to 1992, she formed and managed her own sole proprietorship, LDCs Professional Service and word-processed four complete books for Elsevier Scientific Publishing, The Netherlands and a cookbook (with Dee Waddell and Gisela Borchert) for Trinity Lutheran Church, Denver, CO.

She met Al at Concordia Lutheran Church, Dayton, OH on June 15, 1952; they were married there on Feb. 14, 1953. She followed her husband’s career moves from 1953 to 1999, and lived in New Kensington, PA (7 months), W. Lafayette, IN (4 years), Parma Heights, OH (6 years), S. Charleston, W. VA (2 years), Potsdam, NY (12.5 years), and Lakewood, CO from 1978 until her death. She was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church at her death, after having been a member of churches of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in Lancaster, Dayton, and Parma, OH, New Kensington, PA, W. Lafayette, IN, S. Charleston, W. VA., Potsdam, NY, and at Trinity in Denver until 2006. She served in many capacities in the various churches, most notably as a member of Voters Assemblies, Altar Guilds, and choirs.

Lucy was a beloved and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend to everyone she met. She served as the Czanderna household manager, took her daughters to ballet classes, piano and other music lessons, and Girl Scouts. She served the Girl Scout Troup in Potsdam, NY in various capacities that included being a chaperone for several cross-country bus trips and on the Board of Directors of the Thousand Island Girl Scouts Council, Watertown, NY.

Lucy had an excellent choir voice (tenor) and sang in church choirs from 1942 to 1997. She also sang in the Anchorettes in Lancaster, OH for five years. She painted a number of pictures for personal satisfaction. Lucy was an excellent athlete, i.e., a tomboy, and excelled in softball (an MVP in 1952), basketball, volleyball and table tennis; she was the ladies table tennis champion of W. Virginia in 1964. Lucy greatly enjoyed eating out, attending concerts, plays, and hot air balloon ascents with friends. Her travels included visiting 48 of the 50 United States, 12 European countries, Iceland, Canada, and New Zealand. Lucy served as a volunteer for the AVS International (formerly the American Vacuum Society) when she attended annual meetings with Al. She helped organize tours for the Companions program and registered participants in the annual AVS 5k run for several days at each meeting for 25 years (1981—2006). In 1980, Lucy finished second in her age group in a 10k in Lakewood, CO. She also enjoyed housework, cooking, sewing, gardening, crafts, flower arranging, candy making, and playing games, especially with her children and grandchildren.

Lucy is survived by her husband, Alvin, two daughters Karel Czanderna of Perrysburg, OH, and Kani Nichols, San Antonio, TX, and their husbands, W. Dan Shirkey and William O. Nichols; four grandchildren, Angelika Lusterman, Linden, NC, Kurt Lusterman, Jamestown, ND, Karin Sheffer, Cary, NC, and Kayla Nichols, San Antonio, TX; one great grandson, Quentin Buie, Linden, NC; and four cousins and four nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband of eleven months, Robert Darling; one daughter, Kathy K. Porak, and one brother, Donald E. Delp and his wife Pauline.

Friends will be received at Horan & McConaty Funeral Home, 3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd, Lakewood, CO on Monday, April 30, 2012, from 12 to 2 and 5 to 8 p.m.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 2100 N. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood, CO 80214 with the Rev. David Langewisch officiating and assisted by the Rev. John Petersen.

Interment will follow in the Ft. Sam Houston Cemetery, San Antonio, TX.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bethlehem Lutheran Church and School, 2100 N. Wadsworth, Blvd., Lakewood, CO, 80214.