Born in Los Angeles, CA on the 6th of July, 1926, to John Couts and Mary Chism.
In her early years, Lucy, along with her parents, brother John, and sister Betty, lived in Wildomar, California, and she attended a one-room school house there. While still in her elementary school years, Lucy’s family moved to a house in Lake Elsinore, CA, where she attended school, made great friends, and graduated from Elsinore High School in 1944. Lucy had many great experiences and jobs, in her young life, teen years, and early adulthood, while living in Riverside County.
Swimming in Lake Elsinore with her siblings, visiting her favorite Aunt Lucy in Los Angeles, fishing with her dad on San Clemente Pier, going camping and taking road trips with her family. Her working experiences there included the telephone company, drug store, and the bank in Elsinore, working at Camp Haan Army Base in Riverside, and as a cook/nanny for a family in Pasadena.
Lucy met her future husband, Frederick Leon, while attending Southern California Bible College (SCBC) in Pasadena, CA. Now Vanguard University, Costa Mesa. They were married in Elsinore, CA in 1951, after which he moved her to his hometown of San Diego, CA, where she resided for 67 years. They had five children together; four sons, and one daughter.
Lucy enjoyed many hobbies, and interests, including painting, taking pictures (she was known as the family photographer), antiquing, and honoring “The Red, White, and Blue”, to name a few. Lucy always loved the water, calling herself a “Water Baby” (appropriate that her birth sign is “Cancer”, aka “crab”). She thoroughly enjoyed traveling with her husband and family. She made it to all 50 States and many countries, including her favorites, Norway, Germany, and Lebanon. Her biggest interest of all though, was when she caught the genealogy “bug” and spent forty years doing family research. She would tell us that that was her legacy to us.
Lucy loved to dance with her husband, Fred, and they had many fun years, along with their friends, belonging to “Dancing Partners” and “Qui Vive” Dance groups. Lucy belonged to the EWC (Engineer’s Wives Club) when her friend, Toni, got her involved in it. She also belonged to the ‘Victorian Ladies’ Society’ and attended their Summer and Christmas teas with friends. Lucy belonged to the DAR, the ‘Sons of Norway’, and ‘The House of Norway” in Balboa Park. Lucy and Fred, and later family too, attended Fred’s WWII VB/VPB/VP 102/104 Bomber Squadron reunions for forty years, and made many lasting friendships.
Most of all, Lucy loved her Lord Jesus Christ. When Fred and Lucy were first married, they attended Elim Chapel Assembly of God church in OB. Later, with their family, they were members of Scott Memorial Baptist Church for 25 years. After the death of her dear husband Fred, in 2008, she belonged to Metro Baptist Church, until her death.
Lucy spent her later years enjoying puzzles, reading her Bible, reminiscing on her childhood, playing “Shanghai” card games with her dear friends, Dee, Carole, and daughter, Suzanne, and most of all, enjoying time with her family, especially “Friday Night Dinner at Grandma’s”.
Lucy was preceded in death by her husband Fred, her sons Frederick Michael (Mike) Leon and James Arnold (Arnie) Leon, and her sister Betty Couts Allen.
Lucy is survived by her sons, Sanford Leon (wife, Lily), Douglas Leon (wife, Libby), and her daughter, Suzanne Ghosn (husband, Youssef), grandchildren, Mark and James Leon, and Elias, Frederick, Mary Grace, and Luke Ghosn. Her brother, John Couts (wife, Demarias), her nephew, John Couts, nieces, Nancy Keller, and Kimberlee Hanson.
Services are as follows:
Visitation: April 22nd, 5-8pm @ Beardsley-Mitchell Funeral Home
1818 Sunset Cliffs Blvd, San Diego, CA 92107
Memorial Service: Monday, April 23rd, 10:30am @The North Chapel, Liberty Station.
2881 Roosevelt Rd., San Diego, CA 92106
A burial will occur at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Dr, San Diego, California 92106-3601.
www.MeM.com for information, and to view photos.
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