Our bright and beautiful Mom and Grandma, Lucille M. Kluever, danced her way to heaven early on the morning of 12/31/2023 and into the waiting arms of our Dad Norm.
Lucille Mae Hobbs was born on 9/23/37 in her grandmother's home in Runnells, Illinois, the daughter of Walter and Martha Kathryn (Johnson) Hobbs. She grew up in Shale City, Illinois and was a proud graduate, along with her brother Russell from Rock Island High School in 1955. Although there weren't organized sports for women at that time, Lucy was athletic and competitive, so she played baseball and basketball games with the neighborhood clubs. She met her prince charming while dancing at The Coliseum in Davenport and they were married on October 11, 1957. They made their first home in Davenport, and after starting a family there, moved to Ankeny, Iowa where they would reside for over 40 years.
Lucy became a mom to three girls and delighted in raising them. She also loved keeping the house abuzz with summertime volleyball games in the backyard and solitaire games played round the kitchen table. She loved to decorate for the holidays and the family home was the site of over 40 years of Christmases, Thanksgivings, and other family gatherings. Lucy was always the life of the party and took joy in joking and teasing her daughters and the friends that came to the house. As a friend described, Lucy was sweet, a jokester, and brought joy to everyone around her.
With her girls grown, Lucy began clowning around volunteering with some best friends from The First Church of Christ. Along with her best friend Lynn, "Sparkle and Lollipop" began entertaining, volunteering and doing shows for young and old. Every summer, they put together a library program for kids in the state of Iowa. If you were observant, you might see Lucy driving through downtown Des Moines in her clown wig or juggling pins at a Senior Care facility. She did not know a stranger.
Her biggest delight was her grandchildren, and she was involved in every activity they experienced. She made each one of them feel special and loved. And just like she was for her daughters, she was everyone's biggest cheerleader.
Left to cherish her memory are daughters Lori O'Hern (David) of Des Moines, Tami Hannan (Tim) of Des Moines, Susan Kluever Berg (Thom) of Iowa City, grandchildren, Charlotte (Matt), Connor, Owen, Marissa, Marina, Wolfgang, Kathryn, Jo, Holden and Jenson, and great-granddaughter Maya Lucille, named lovingly after her.
A visitation will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, January 6 at The First Church of Christ, 310 NW Ash, Ankeny, Iowa, with a funeral to follow at 11:00 AM.
