Lucy Barnard

Lucy Ann Barnard passed away on September 25, 2017, at the age of 96. Born April 29, 1921 in Turton, South Dakota, Lucy was the youngest of the five surviving children of Laura and William Barnard. She was preceded in death by her siblings Clarence, Ann, Rose and Henry as well as nephew Roy Samuelson and nieces Virginia Jeanotte and Lynn Barnard. She is survived by several generations of nieces and nephews. Lucy and family lived in South Dakota and on the prairie homestead at Horse Creek, Southern Saskatchewan where she received most of her schooling in the one room country school. She entered the working world in 1944 with the Moore Dry Dock Company in Oakland, California. Then for several years she alternated working winter months for the Montana Farmers Union and summer months in Yellowstone National Park. She recounted many stories over the years of her times in Yellowstone, for which she retained a lifelong affection. In 1960, Lucy landed a job with Massachusetts Mutual Insurance Company. Initially performing secretarial work, her knack for numbers and organization soon earned her promotion to book keeping and then office manager. Her competence earned her assignments to organize agency offices in various cities including Boston, San Jose, Sacramento and Seattle. Her last location was Billings where she had the added joy of living near her sister Rose, Rose's daughter Virginia and her granddaughters Lucy and Rena. One of Lucy Junior's memories of Auntie was being dropped off at Auntie's apartment early in the morning to have breakfast and then walk to school with Auntie who walked on to work. In fact, Lucy walked a lot and rode public transportation until her fifties when she got a driver's license and bought a car. Her Barnard nieces and nephews remember the excitement of driving to the bus stop at the highway to get Lucy from the bus; her visits always raised the spirits of the entire family. During the day she would help with the ironing and in the evening the kids would fall asleep listening to the conversation and laughter coming from the adults in the kitchen. Lucy enjoyed going places, eventually visiting Europe and Japan where her photography hobby brought her and the rest of us much pleasure because of her skill with the camera. Not much discussed by Lucy was the merit she earned from her photography, earning blue ribbons at various public contests around Montana. During her many years of retirement Lucy was busy volunteering in many places: the Billings Airport visitors' booth, Global Village, St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop, St. Vincent Hospital and Angela's Piazza. With her unwavering Catholic faith she was always available for those in need of spiritual support among friends and strangers. Lucy was the definition of frugal. She did not lack for food or comfort but did not believe in waste and unnecessary indulgence when her good fortunes could be compassionately shared with others. Aunt Lucy taught us much about how to live a life, and she lived hers long and well. Lucy wasn't afraid of the inevitable and was determined to make her passing a minimum burden for the rest of us. Long before she moved to West Park Village she began her downsizing, and you could not leave her apartment without something in your hand, your share of her treasure of photographs, literature or family heirlooms. She left little furniture and no car, a few dishes and some books. But there is a huge cache of memories for all of us to share. Aunt Lucy taught us what can be accomplished with a minor education, as a woman, in a male business world. She taught us the joy of traveling and seeing the beauty in everything through her lens. She played a serious game of hearts. She taught us all that when you point a finger at someone you are pointing three back at yourself. She taught us that you could hold unequivocally to your faith, to make it the most coherent element of your life without making it political. Her long, good life has ended and her soul will continue on with her kindness and faith in the heaven she so richly deserves. Vigil will be held Thursday, November 2 at 7 pm in the library at West Park Village in Billings. Please use the east parking lot, on Woody Drive, and the east entrance. Funeral Mass will be Friday, November 3 at 10 am at St Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 2055 Woody Drive in Billings.