Born Ida LaMerle Cude on 23 August 1944 in Cleveland Texas to Ona (Hardin) and George Kenneth Cude. She spent her youth growing up in Texas and Oklahoma. She graduated with a Teaching Degree and spent time on a church mission in Belgium and France. Upon returning to the States she taught Junior High English and French in Salt Lake City, Utah. Looking for a change, she obtained a teaching position with the Department of Defense Schools in Baumholder, Germany where she met her future husband James Deca. They were married at Fort Benning, Georgia on 12 Jul 1975.
She gave birth to Todd in 1976 and Aimee in 1978 and spent these early years as a stay at home mom. LaMerle resumed her teaching career once the kids were in grade school. She eventually obtained a Masters Degree in Counselling.
Upon retiring in 2007, she spent much of her time in Henrico, VA helping out her daughter and grandson Marek.
Throughout her life, she was very active in her church and scouting with her son Todd. She loved the outdoors be it gardening, camping or traveling. She also played the violin; taught the Suzuki Violin Method; and played in the Fayetteville, NC Symphony Orchestra for two years. Although she enjoyed arts and crafts, her passion was mixed media arts including oil, water color and pastel painting along with stained glass. She maintained a small studio in Fayetteville, NC and later moved it to Art Works in downtown Richmond.
She is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Kenneth. She is survived by: her husband, James Deca; her brother, Kirby; son, Todd Deca; daughter-in-Law, Niki Cate Deca; grandchildren, Caleb, Ethan and Ashleigh; daughter, Aimee Deca; grandson, Marek.
Visitation is Sunday, 11 October 2020 between 2-4 PM at the Woody Funeral Home, 9271 Shady Grove Rd, Mechanicsville, VA, 23116.
The service will be conducted Monday, 12 October 2020 at 12PM at the Woody Funeral Home, followed by interment at the Signal Hill Cemetery.
