Lucille Anne Teixeira, age 88 of Glendale, AZ died June 15, 2018 in Glendale, AZ. She was born May 23, 1930 in Phoenix, AZ to Nelson Francis Tomlinson, Jr. and Amy Marie Parker. Lu was proud to be a native Phoenician. She had wonderful memories of the earlier days of Phoenix, riding the trolley cars, working to clean up after the state fair in order to find money that people would drop, riding horses bareback; these are just a few of the experiences that shaped her character and found their way into the stories she shared with her family and friends. As a young woman she learned to play the accordion and was a baton twirler. She was a graduate from St. Mary Catholic High School. She belonged to the Epsilon Sigma Alpha sorority for 20+ years where she held various positions such as President, Vice President, and Treasurer and was even voted Mrs. Congeniality.
Lu met her husband “Tex” J. Teixeira, Jr. on a blind date. He didn’t leave a good first impression, but as time went on her opinion of Tex changed. Their relationship together was one of playfulness and humor. The story of how they met often changed and became embellished, nicknames for each other came and went, but the love and friendship that they had for each other was constant. Together they raised four children.
Motherhood was Lu’s chosen profession and she was good at it. She made sure that her children were well dressed and able to participate in whatever school activities they chose. She would sometimes have to admonish her sons, “Wait until your father gets home.” She and Tex loved to play cards and Friday night was card night with their good friends the Wallaces.
Tex loved to camp and fish so Lu would go along. Once when rain dampened their festivities Lu found a way to rectify the situation. It involved picking the tent up by the tent poles, holding it overhead and walking it to a new location out of the downpour. She taught her children that they should put on a smile even if life doesn’t always go well. When Tex died Lu felt his absence keenly.
After the children were raised Lu worked outside the home. She was a part of the start-up team at the Palo Verde Nuclear Plant. She also spent several years working for WJ Byrnes collecting funds. But her heart was always with her home and family. She loved being a grandmother and great-grandmother. She enjoyed caring for her dogs, even when that number was 13, and numerous cats. And she continued to love all the things that living in Arizona afforded: the freedom found in the city of Buckeye, the Diamondbacks and the Cardinals.
Lucille is survived by her daughter, Catherine Aspen (Paul); sons, David J. Teixeira, III (Anne), Nelson J. Teixeira (Denise); brother, Nelson F. Tomlinson (Sharlene); 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, David J. Teixeira, Jr.; son, Dennis J. Teixeira; and grandson, Nelson “Ross” Kinsey.
A visitation will be held at 5:30 pm with a rosary at 6:30 pm, Tuesday, June 26, 2018 at Thompson Funeral Chapel, 926 S. Litchfield Road, Goodyear, AZ. A mass will be held at 10:30 am, Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 13720 W. Thomas Rd, Avondale, AZ 85392. Burial will follow at 1:00 pm at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N Cave Creek Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85024.
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