Luciene was born on May 5, 1925 to Lillian Stirn Ramsburg and Harry Lee Ramsburg on Mt. Roland Farm in Ellicott City, MD into a tightknit community of relatives. She counted 21 cousins in her neighborhood, and spent her girlhood in the fields, vegetable garden, henhouse, a one-room country schoolhouse, and Rockland EUB Church.
Academic by nature, Luciene left the farm in 1941 to pursue a college education at Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College), and to cultivate a romance with Bill Pfefferkorn, who was attending the U.S. Naval Academy. After she graduated in 1945, she married her life-long love, Bill, on June 6, 1945, the day he graduated from the Naval Academy,
So began her 20 year Navy wife career of following him in the orders of the U.S. Navy. The family moved from California to Kansas to Florida, two posts in New England and two posts in the Mid-Atlantic.
During this time, three children graced their lives: Dixon William Pfefferkorn (deceased), in 1946; Jean Luciene Pfefferkorn, in 1948; and Anne Luciene Pfefferkorn (Dennis Small) in 1951. Robert Lee Pfefferkorn (Stephanie Marr Pfefferkorn) was born in 1965, a retirement gift as Bill left the Navy. They settled in Annapolis.
With the cesation of moving her family, Luciene developed her passions: gardening and collecting antiques, and staying involved in family affairs, as her older children started their adult lives and Robert grew up. She was devoted to her family, including grandchildren Nathan Leslie, Brigid Leslie (Justin Wethington), and Samuel Leslie; William Small, Jeffrey Small (deceased) and Robin Small (Kenneth Catlett Jr.); Zachary Pfefferkorn, Emma Pfefferkorn (Patrick Hill), Gregory Pfefferkorn, Clara Pfefferkorn, Ivan Pfefferkorn, Lucas Pfefferkorn, Thorsten Pfefferkorn, and Otto Pfefferkorn, and ten great-grandchildren.
On August 12, 2022, Luciene passed peacefully at the age of 97, predeceased by her parents, husband, brother Everett Ramsburg, son and grandson. Her loving descendents, numerous nephews, cousins, and nieces will miss her bright wit, love of words and humor, and gentle, nurturing spirit.
Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be sent to Brain Research Foundation, 111 West Washington Street, Suite 1460 Chicago, Illinois 60602.
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