Sister M. Lucy Leduc, MM

Born: December 2, 1896
Entered: October 14, 1920
Died: June 5, 1977

On June 5th, Sister Lucy Leduc died in Monrovia.

Snatches of conversations since Sister Lucy’s death revealed to me what her life was all about. “Who was Sister Lucy?” “You know, the one who could barely reach the sink at the Seminary, but who polished pots and pans until they shone.” “Who was Sister Lucy?” “The little one who always knew each one by name.” Small of stature, but great of spirit, until just last year she was accompanying Sister Esther Coveny in visiting foundations for the Nursing Facility. When I talked to her about this, she commented, with her head characteristically cocked to one side and her big eyes pouring out warmth and love, “I don’t say much to these business people – I just listen to them.”

Sister Lucy was born in Devils Lake, North Dakota on December 2, 1896. She entered Maryknoll in October, 1920, and made her Final Commitment to the Lord in Gishu, Korea on August 4, 1925. Following her first profession in 1922, she spent 2 years teaching kindergarten in Seattle, Washington, after which she was sent to Korea for three years, In 1927 she moved on to the Philippines, where she served both in Malabon and Baguio for 15 years before the war found her interned from 1942-1945, The next 27 years found her touching the lives of many men and women of Maryknoll, as she “polished pots and pans until they shone” in both the Venard and Major Seminary kitchens, as well as at Valley Park from 1964 to 1972. In 1972 she retired to Monrovia where she helped out in the laundry and around the house in countless ways.

The Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated in Monrovia, Wednesday, June 8th, followed by burial in Holy Cross Cemetery, Los Angeles. Mass in Motherhouse Chapel on Thursday at 11:45 was for Sr. Lucy’s precious soul.