A little over seven years ago, my great-grandma, Virginia "Maxine" Bunce Lutz passed away. I remember all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren crowding into her hospital room toward the end, but she only passed away after she saw her sister for the last time. She had lived most of her life as a police man's wife and mother to three in Indianapolis, but lived later in Edinburgh, as did her son, my uncle David, so the funeral was held at a church in that town. She was buried next to her husband, my great-grandfather, Harold Lutz, at Friendship Park Cemetery in Paragon, over a half hour away from the church. It was the neatest funeral procession as police men escorted our party all that long way. Below is the beautiful eulogy given at her funeral.
Grandma's high school graduation picture
Virginia Maxine Bunce Lutz was born on
December 30 in the year 1923, and she entered into God’s eternal kingdom on
Tuesday, January 15, 2008. She was
preceded in death by her parents Esther Giroud and William Bunce, her husband
Harold Lutz, her step-brother Frank and her sister Norma.
Maxine was born in the city of Indianapolis
and lived in the city for much of her life.
She graduated from Arsenal Tech High School as one of the top ten
students in her class. Not liking her
given name Virginia she preferred to go by her middle name Maxine. At age 13 she met her future husband, Harold,
thanks to her father. Her father William
was a milkman and he often employed young men to be helpers on his milk
route. This was beneficial not only to
Maxine but also one of her sisters as they both married milk route
helpers. Harold and Maxine became high
school sweethearts and married on January 31, 1942. Harold gave her the nickname “Mac” and that
caught on with family and friends. They
were married for 50 years, until Harold passed away from cancer in 1992.
Early on Maxine or “Mac” was employed by the
Indianapolis Police Department and Commercial Motor Freight. In both positions she worked in the
office. But after her children Bob,
Darlene and David were born, Mac focused her energy on being a housewife and
mother. She also did some in home child
care. Mac never drove. Her first time behind the wheel convinced her
otherwise. She nearly went over a bridge
and decided to leave the driving to others.
But this was not a problem for her, as she was a homebody and preferred
to spend her time at home caring for the needs of her family and friends. She was a member of Morris Street Methodist
Church, and her three children were all baptized on the same Sunday.
Maxine had a flair for organization that
touched every aspect of her life. Having
grown up during the Depression Era, she understood the importance of stretching
every dollar. She had a knack for
household finances and would keep a monthly budget in a rubber-banded Sucrets
tin. She had a pay as you go attitude
about spending, and sought various ways to save money, including taking
advantage of sales to stock up on necessary items. Mac was particular about her shopping. If she sent one of the children to pick up
something for her, they better be sure to pick up the correct brand and the
right size. If not, they could
anticipate having to go back to make an exchange. Dented cans weren’t an issue for her. If it was the brand she wanted, she’d buy it
anyway, and save a few cents on the dented can.
Mac also had a passion for cutting and
saving coupons, not only for herself but also for others. She was a pro at saving Stokely Van-Camp
labels and green stamps. In time she collected
enough for a Radio Flyer Wagon and a child-sized wooden rocking chair for each
of her grandchildren.
Her great talent for organization carried
over into her daily routine. Mondays and
Thursdays were wash days. Tuesdays and
Fridays were spent ironing. Her children
told me that Mac was passionate about ironing.
Everything got ironed – clothes, sheets, you name it. Though she did draw a line at undergarments
and socks. Her home was organized. Furniture never moved once Mac had found a
spot for it. Even after 35 years in one
house, the furniture stayed put.
Mac enjoyed staying current on local events,
reading the Indianapolis Star then later in life the Franklin Journal. She would read the paper cover to cover, and
that included the classified section.
She enjoyed collecting information, and would write notes to herself so
she could remember everything she wanted to tell someone. Though she was not an outgoing person, she
cared greatly for others. Household
chores were always done by noon and her afternoons were usually spent relaxing
in the rocker on the front porch. She
always had a listening ear for her neighbors, and if it was summertime, she
would offer homemade iced tea. She
became the repository for all the goings-on in the neighborhood. Nothing seemed to get past her.
Late in life, when she moved into the
Masonic Home, the staff called her the psychologist. They felt comfortable going to her for advice
or simply to vent their frustrations. They
knew she would listen to them and share all their joys and their
heartaches. Even without a front porch,
she offered a friendly smile and a welcome to all who knew her.
Though her life was very full with taking
care of her family, Mac did have some special interests. She loved to feed birds. She enjoying learning about the different
types from her bird book and liked to watch them when the came to the
house. She also liked to collect dishes. If a family member put on a yard sale, Mac
would use some of her savings to purchase the dishes. Though she never seemed to use the dishes she
bought, she enjoyed collecting them.
Mac also loved to bake, and when her
children came home from school there was always some type of homemade snack
waiting for them. When her son Bob
worked for Standard grocery, she would take the day old fruit and make fresh
cobblers for her family. In the
wintertime, homemade hot chocolate was a daily treat. At Christmastime, snicker doodles and sugar
cookies were always part of the festivities.
Though she was raised a city girl, Mac had
no problem adapting when her mother married a farmer later in life. On Sunday mornings Mac and her husband Harold
would drive to her mother’s home to help with the farm work. She picked vegetables and collected
eggs. She even learned to kill chickens
and pluck their feathers. Mac would take
the produce and sell them to her friends in the neighborhood or to Harold’s
coworkers. She did this as a service to
her mom and step-dad and refused to accept any money for her help.
Though Mac had lots of energy, she was
plagued by arthritis much of her adult life, and that limited what she could
and could not do. In 1989 she had a
double hip replacement surgery. Afterward
she feared being stuck in a wheelchair, never being able to walk again. Physical therapy was rough for awhile, until
daughter Darlene suggested to the therapists a trick of using smelling salts to
keep her going. That worked wonders and
soon she was back on her feet again.
Not long after her husband Harold died in
1992, Mac agreed to move to the White Oak Apartments in Edinburgh. She got involved with a ladies group
there. This was the first time she had
been involved in a group like this, but quickly enjoyed being part of their
company. They played cards and bingo and
enjoyed regular pot luck dinners. About
10 years later Mac moved into the Masonic home.
Her friendliness and love of others quickly drew people to her. And as I said before, she was a friend to
both staff and residents while she lived there.
So many things can be said about this
wonderful woman. It is easy to see why
she was so well-loved by all who knew her.
Mac will be remembered for her laughter, her astounding organizational
skills, her practicality, her kindness and generosity, and her great love of
family. Mac is survived by her children
Robert, Darlene and David, her grandchildren Craig, Michelle, Sharon, Laurie,
Robin, James, Isaac, Ashley, Brian and Chris, eleven great-grandchildren, her
sister Betty Puckett, and her step-brother Bill Giroud. Mac will be greatly missed by her family, her
friends, and by all who were blessed by her presence in their lives. But all who have been touched by this special
woman can rejoice that she is now at home in God’s heavenly kingdom.
You are missed, Grandma!
