CENTERVILLE, Ohio — Amelia Lucas, 97, died at 6:15 a.m. Sunday at Bethany Village in Centerville. She had been a long time resident of Loogootee.
Born Jan. 23, 1913, in Loogootee, she was the daughter of Clotilda and Nicholas Matthews.
She attended St. John’s grade school and high school. After high school, she attended St. Mary-of-the-Woods College in Terre Haute, followed by three years at Indiana State University, where she received her degree in music supervision. Music was Amelia’s life as she taught music to students at many of the Loogootee area schools for 37 years. She was the vocal music teacher at St. John’s school, Loogootee Community school, Rutherford Township school and Crane school. She even directed the band one year. For a short time, she also taught music for Jasper schools. Amelia directed the choir at St. John’s Church. She was a member of the Tri Kappa Sorority, the Daughters of Isabella, Retired Teachers’ Association and Delta Kappa Gamma. In her later years, she carried on her music at Bethany Village as they held “Amelia’s Sing Alongs” in the dining room each Friday night.
She is survived by a daughter, Ann Lucas Bale, and son-in-law, Jim Bale, both of Centerville; two granddaughters, Betsy Bale of Flagstaff, Ariz., and Katie Boester and her husband David of Indianapolis; and one great-granddaughter, Taylor Boester.
Her husband, John Lucas, whom she married Aug. 2, 1953, died in 1984. Her sisters, Mary Esther Matthews Schnaus, Dorothy Matthews Walker and Jane Matthews Walker, also precede her in death.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday at St. John’s Church in Loogootee. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Visitation is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at Brocksmith Funeral Home.
(March 7, 2010)
