Lucille O’Dea Ratermann passed away on the morning of March 26th, 2021 in Lincoln, CA, at the age of 93.
She was born in Sacramento, CA on May 22nd, 1927 to William Joseph O’Dea and Elizabeth Mary O’Dea (Lynam). She was preceded in death by her husband, Andrew, with whom she was happily married for 67 years. She was also predeceased by her sisters Katherine Lambert, Charlotte Montgomery, and Annie Odbert.
Lucille and Andrew met at The Newman Club at the Cathedral of Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento in 1946 and were married in 1948. Lucille and Andrew loved to dance and to travel, often capturing the world in their sketchbooks. As an accomplished artist, Lucille leaves a legacy of “Artful Creations” in oil, watercolor, and pastel. Just as Lucille brought scenes to life on canvas, she also brought color and joy to the lives of all those she knew. She served as a chairperson of the Red Cross in Florence, South Carolina. She also taught children at both St. Anthony Catholic Church in Florence, South Carolina and St. Victor Catholic Church in San Jose, CA. Lucille was always dedicated to her family and will be remembered as she was in life: reading tea leaves, singing an Irish ditty, and taking care of others.
She is survived by two sons and their families: her eldest Andrew (Caren) and his two children Andrew and Katie and Lucille’s youngest George (Dawn) and their children Mary and (Nic) Carter (and their children Rhye and Avila Carter), William, Marie, and Molly. She is also survived by her sister, Jane Cook.
The funeral service is limited to only immediate family members due to the current community standards. A celebration of life will be held at a later date to allow for more of the community of people who loved Lucille.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made by mail at American Cancer Society, Relay For Life of Santa Clara, attn: Relay For Life of Santa Clara, participant code T4XDMC, 747 Camden Ave, Suite B, Campbell, CA 95008 or online at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/Lucille.
