Lucille L. Ferrara

Lucille Ferrara was born January 31, 1925, in Portsmouth New Hampshire to Marie Matson Leach and Edward Granville Leach. Ruth, Virginia and Edward, her two sisters and brother, joined her to complete the family. Lucille learned early as an older sister to ‘take charge’, a trait that accompanied her throughout her life.

Lucille began her penchant for travel as a child. Edward Leach served in the department of the navy, with submarines: the family accompanied him from the East Coast out to California, then retired in Arkansas to try farming. When World War II broke out, Edward went back to sea and Marie Leach re-settled her children in San Diego.

Lucille completed a teaching degree and then met the love of her life, Mario, when she was a single mom teaching school in a one-room schoolhouse in Poway. She enjoyed adventurous living with Mario, moving first to Hawaii then Italy. Eventually they settled in Gardena California, where she taught middle school for the Torrance School system, spending many years at MaGruder middle school. Lucille loved teaching and loved children.

Her children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces and family members will fondly remember Lucille as an instigator of fun. She loved to take children to new places. Disneyland was one of her favorite stop-offs. Many remember eating hamburgers at ‘Bob’s Big Boy’ or visiting one of the many tourist spots in the Los Angeles area. She loved to bring her young charges to a nice restaurant and order everything on the menu, and always had room for dessert.

She delighted in pets, both her own and anyone else’s. She loved to have conversations with little dogs and cats. Books were her friends and she was conversant on many subjects.

Lucille lost both a son and a daughter, who preceded her to heaven. Although she suffered her share of heartbreaks, she maintained a strong faith in God and was always proud of her family members who maintained a Christian path. She showed her love by generous giving throughout her life. She will be missed but not forgotten by her many family members and friends.

Celebration of Life Service will be held on Monday, April 21, 2014 - 10 a.m. at Mount Miguel Covenant Village - Bailey Center, 325 Kempton Street, Spring Valley, CA 91977.

Lucille was much loved and will be deeply missed.