Lucretia A. Seuren

Lucretia Ann Seuren (née Ivey), age 67, passed away on December 12, 2025—her birthday—at MercyOne Hospital in West Des Moines, Iowa. She was surrounded by her husband and children on a cold, snowy day, echoing the snowstorm that marked her birth on December 12, 1958, at Maryview Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Lucretia grew up in Deep Creek, Virginia, a small community on the edge of the Dismal Swamp, now part of Chesapeake. The oldest of three children in a large extended family, she spent much of her childhood surrounded by grandparents, cousins, music, and stories, many of which she would lovingly retell throughout her life.

A devout Christian, Lucretia lived her life anchored in faith, conviction, and purpose. She was a lover of the arts, especially music, and a trained musician with a beautiful voice. In her younger years, she sang in choirs and opera, and music remained central to her identity throughout her life. She taught all three of her children to play piano and instilled in them a lifelong appreciation for music, creativity, and the discipline of practice—values they carried into adulthood.

Lucretia met her husband, Eric, through a church choir in Virginia. Together they built a life that included moves to Connecticut and Naperville, Illinois, before settling in West Des Moines, Iowa, where they raised their children and where Lucretia lived from 1994 until her passing. That home—immaculate, orderly, and full of music—was a reflection of her: particular, intentional, and deeply cared for.

Above all else, Lucretia wanted to be a mother. She devoted herself fully to that calling, leaving full-time work after the birth of her first child to become a stay-at-home mom. Her children were raised on home-cooked meals, music lessons, garden harvests, and steady, unwavering love. From Reed’s beloved “Ivey burgers,” to Evan’s favorite spaghetti, to Colleen’s chocolatey “Colleen bread,” she expressed care through food as much as words.

Lucretia loved gardening, tending extensive flower beds and summer vegetable harvests, and held a particular affection for roses and lilies. She also had a gift for storytelling. With a soft Southern cadence that never faded, she shared family stories so often they became part of family lore. Whether repeated because they were forgotten or simply because she loved telling them. The stories were always welcomed.

Lucretia was fiercely herself. She was steadfast in her convictions, unapologetically persnickety, and quietly strong. She valued peace, simplicity, and doing things her own way, even when it meant choosing comfort of spirit over convenience. She liked her food simple, her home well kept, her music classic, and her faith unwavering.

In the final years of her life, Lucretia endured significant health challenges that gradually narrowed her world. Through it all, her husband Eric became her devoted caregiver, tending to her with patience and profound love. Though illness took much from her physically, it never diminished her faith, her identity, or the love she held for her family.

Lucretia is survived by her husband, Eric Seuren; her children Reed Seuren (Mary), Evan Seuren (Katie Shuy), and Colleen Schulze (Nick); and her beloved granddaughter, Vivienne Seuren. She is also survived by her siblings, George Michael “Mike” Ivey and Constance “Connie” Atkins. She was preceded in death by her father, Milton Ivey, and her mother, Barbara Ivey (née Shackley).

Lucretia’s greatest joy later in life was becoming a grandmother. Though her time with Vivienne was brief, it was deeply meaningful, and she treasured every moment.

A visitation will be held on December 20, 2025, at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel, located at 801 19th Street, West Des Moines, Iowa, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The funeral service will follow at the same location at 11:00 a.m. Interment will take place at Resthaven Cemetery.

In accordance with Lucretia’s wishes, the service will reflect her deep faith in Christ, focusing on salvation, scripture, and the assurance she held so firmly. She hoped that all who gathered would be reminded that life on earth has an end, and eternity a beginning, and that faith is rooted not in ritual, but in a personal relationship with God.

Lucretia believed that everything—our lives, our loved ones, and the world itself—belongs to the Lord. She hoped, above all, to see everyone she loved again in paradise.