In Loving Memory of Lucy Cox

“When sorrow comes, let us accept it simply, as a part of life. Let the heart be open to pain; let it be stretched by it. All the evidence we have says that this is the better way. An open heart never grows bitter. Or if it does, it cannot remain so. In the desolate hour there is an outcry, a clenching of the hands upon emptiness, a burning pain of bereavement, a weary ache of loss. But anguish, like ecstasy, is not forever. There comes a gentleness, a returning quietness, a restoring stillness. This, too, is a door to life. Here, also, is a deepening of meaning-and it can lead to dedication, a going forward to the triumph of the soul, the conquering of the wilderness. In the process will come a deepening inward knowledge that, in the final reckoning, all is well.” – A Powell Davies

What did Lucy do for the Onion, the community she loved and had been a part of since 1970?

She was its president. She served on the Caring Committee, the Building and Grounds Committee, and many others. She organized and executed fundraisers to re-roof the building, repave the parking lot, replace the carpet, and so much more. She was a force to be reckoned with—yet she carried out her work with quiet grace and unwavering determination.

Lucy sang like an angel in her soprano voice, traveling with the choir to both Japan and Italy, where she brought along her granddaughter. She welcomed family and friends into her home when they needed a place to stay. She was always there to lend a helping hand, hosting lively gatherings and embracing the joy of entertaining.

She donated to many worthy causes. She and her husband, Frank, passed out flyers and protested to stop the Sunshine Canyon Dump from encroaching on their neighborhood—long before others even realized what was happening. She believed deeply in democracy, freedom, and hard work.

Lucy did not waste a moment of her life. She lived her convictions.

And she was my hero.

Sincerely,

Teri I