CANAAN — Lucille A. Mikesell passed away peacefully on April 3 with family at her home in Canaan Valley, Connecticut. She was 106.
Born on Sept. 5, 1919 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, she was the daughter of William Harvey Cohea, of Mason, Illinois, and Lillian Amanda Williams of Morley, Iowa. She graduated from Roosevelt High School in Cedar Rapids in 1937, and married her husband, Ralph J. Mikesell in 1938.
Lucille lived through over a century of dramatic change including a childhood interrupted by the Great Depression. During World War II she was employed at Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids while her husband served in the Army Corp of Engineers in the South Pacific. Later she worked for and retired from American States Insurance Company as a claims specialist
Lucille was very active in volunteer work after her retirement. She was an original member of the R.S.V.P. Golden Warblers Chorus for 20 years in Cedar Rapids and volunteered at Truman Elementary, also in Cedar Rapids, for 14 years in the reading program.
With her lovely soprano voice she found great joy in singing. She participated in the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale and spent over 50 years as a devoted member of the Christ Church Presbyterian choir in Cedar Rapids. At the spry age of 95, when she moved to live with her daughter, Lillie Mikesell in Canaan Valley, she joined the St. John’s Episcopal Church choir in Salisbury where her daughter was Music Director.
Her lifelong love affair with all things Iowa included a deep engagement with Iowa sports. Even after her move to Connecticut she avidly followed all the Iowa teams.
Lucille’s living family members include her daughter, Lillie and spouse Karen Byers of Canaan Valley, grandsons Blake Mikesell of Lincoln, Nebraska, Jeffrey David Mikesell of Boulder City, Nevada, granddaughters Suzi Wojciechowski of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Nicole Pollock (Marc) of Amana, Iowa, and great granddaughters, Ellah Mikesell of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Hailey Pollock of Amana, Iowa.
She was predeceased by her husband, Ralph J. Mikesell of Council Bluffs, Iowa, her son, Jonathan David Mikesell, also of Cedar Rapids, and her beloved little brother, William Harvey Cohea, Jr., late of Columcille in Bangor, Pennsylvania.
The family thanks Sally Strano, CNA and longtime friend Teri Miller for their unflagging friendship and support of Lucille, and Eilene Rydel, R.N. for her gentle home hospice care.
Memorial donations can be made in her name to a favorite place: The Douglas Library, 108 Main Street, North Canaan. CT, 06018.
A private service will be held.
