Luella Mae Erbes

Luella Erbes—beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and devoted spouse of sixty-six years to the late Robert Erbes—passed away peacefully on September 11 at age 89. A lifelong musician and educator, Lu began her career as a music and piano teacher. She went on to secure a graduate degree at MSU in library science and found her greatest professional joy as a children’s librarian with the Lansing School District. Never one to sit still, she dedicated many volunteer hours in retirement to the Okemos Library and to Sparrow Hospital’s neonatal massage program.

Lu and Bob were high school sweethearts who shared the same passion and talent for music. As newlyweds, they spent two years in Germany, which inspired a lifelong love of Europe. They returned many times for visits to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. They particularly enjoyed hiking among the wildflowers in the Austrian Alps and visiting Salzburg.

Lu is survived by her children LuAnn (Tom), Mark (Annette), and Scott (Stephanie) as well as her grandchildren Lauren (Matt), Megan (Sue), Matthew (Nikki), Nina (Kristen), and Sam and great-granddaughter, Aly. We were all inspired by her creativity as a storyteller, puppeteer, pianist, knitter, and quilter; by accounts of her farmgirl upbringing; and by her gentle commonsense.

Visitation for Lu will be held on December 9 at 10:00 AM at The People’s Church of East Lansing, followed by a memorial service at 11:00 AM. The family asks that gifts in Lu’s honor please be directed to the Friends of the Okemos Library (fotol.org) or to the music program at The People’s Church (thepeopleschurch.com).