Lucille Harriet Boyle

Lucille was born in Diggins, Missouri, to Carolena Louise and William Frederick Stiegemeyer on April 10, 1925. She was baptized, educated, and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Diggins. She graduated from Seymour High School in 1942 and moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where she worked as a bookkeeper at Old Judge Coffee Company.

Lucille met James R. Boyle on a blind date, and on October 4, 1952, they were married at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in St. Louis. The couple moved to Bessemer, AL, where their first child, Marcia Ann, was born on August 10, 1953. James Robert, Jr. was born a few years later on January 10, 1957. In 1963, the family moved to Knoxville, TN, where Stephanie Lea was born on April 12, 1965. The family returned to Alabama in 1970, settling in the Northport area, where they became members of Holy Cross Lutheran Church.

After retirement, Lucille and James moved to Helena, AL, to be near their son, Jim, and his family. Returning to the Birmingham area, they rejoined The Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills, where they had been charter members in the 1950s.

Lucille was a woman of deep faith, and the Lutheran church was central to her life. In addition to caring for her family, she volunteered at schools, in her community, and at her church, where she taught Sunday school and was an active member of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League. She was a talented seamstress, and used her gift to create cherished memories for her children and grandchildren. She made baptismal and wedding gowns, prom dresses, and quilts. She was also known to add an occasional 2 inches of lace to skirts she felt were a little short, and to make a cape to compliment a dress that was lacking in material.

Her grandchildren warmly remember her humming hymns in the kitchen while preparing breakfast, teaching them to cook and pointing out the birds at the bird feeder. Her faith in God and love for her family touched everyone she met. The world is brighter because of her, and we were all blessed to have her as a mother, a grandmother and a friend.

She is preceded in death by her husband, James Boyle, her parents and her siblings, Raymond Stiegemeyer, Ruby (Hubert) Lawson, Harold (Marguerite) Stiegemeyer, Erma Stiegemeyer and Kay (Ed) Bender.

She is survived by her children Marcia (Alan) Toellner of Bunceton, MO, James (Lisa) Boyle Jr. of Helena, AL and Stephanie (Randy) Lawson of Niceville, FL, her grandchildren, Amelia (Ron) Ganze of Omaha, NE, Tara (Jim) Griggs of Lone Elm, MO, Caitlin (Luke) Lawson-McClintock of Arvada, CO, Matthew Boyle of Bloomington, IN, Zachery Lawson of San Antonio, TX, Heather (Robbie) Hensley of Odenville, AL and her great grandsons, Ethan and Logan Griggs.

The family will have a memorial service on Monday, October 26 at the Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills with visitation with the family at 4:00 PM and the service beginning at 5:00 PM. A private burial will precede that service at the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in Lou's memory to the Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills. They will be directed to Zion Lutheran School in Lone Elm, MO.