Lucille Carrie Vea was born to Nellie Jane Conaway and William Curtis Conaway of Salem, Missouri in January of 1927. Her paternal grandparents were Robert and Sarah Conaway also of Salem, Missouri. She was one of 8 children the others being Carson, Mildred, Emma Lawrence, Pauline, Berniece, Blanche and Eldon.
The family lived on a farm during their time in Missouri and later moved to start a logging business in Grant's, New Mexico. They survived during the Great Depression due to their resourcefulness and determination. During World War 2 most of the sisters and their children were gathered together again with their parents while their respective husbands were serving in the U.S. Military.
Married thrice and divorced twice she had 2 sons, Robert and Cary, from her first marriage to with Andres Vea Vea of Illocos Norte, The Philippines. Her daughter Marta is from the second marriage to Pablo Armando Lau of Pacasmayo, Peru.
In 1980 she remarried her first husband, Andres Vea, in a private ceremony at the house of Cary and Karen Vea in San Jose, California. Lucille and Marta moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Santa Maria, California to the family home.
After Andres passed away in 1998 she returned to Springfield, Missouri, to be with her sister Berniece Cecil and the nephews and nieces in the area. In 2010 she moved to Medford, Oregon to be with her son Robert and his children and grandchildren.
In 2012 her daughter Marta left San Luis Obispo, California for Medford to care for her mother at home.
Lucille was able to remain at home until 2018 when her increased medical needs made it necessary for her to be in an assisted living facility. In her final years she was able to enjoy social time with other seniors and still maintain a measure of independence.
She passed away peacefully without pain at a hospital in Medford, Oregon during February of 2020. Her parents and siblings proceeded her in death.
She is survived by her son Robert Vea and his wife, Shannon Jackson-Vea of Eagle Point, Oregon; her son Cary Vea and his wife Karen of Hollister, California and her daughter Marta Lau of Medford, Oregon. Additionally she is survived by 13 grandchildren and several great and great-great grandchildren.
Her funeral was a small private gathering with her niece Delores Miller of Repulic, Missouri and her nephew Bill Conaway and his wife Barbara of Springfield, Missouri.
Lucille was known for her intelligence, independence, warm spirit and sense of humor. The name "Lucille" is Latin in origin and means "light". She had wavy dark red hair and gorgeous grey/green eyes.
A lifelong lover of art, music, books and learning she worked in a packing house/freezer while going to Allan Hancock Community College in Santa Maria obtaining an Associates Degree in Business. For many years she worked as a secretary and later on became a real estate agent. The high point of her career was cataloging scientific samples from space missions in the NASA/Ames Research Center at Moffet Field, Mountain View, California.
Lucille burned bright with curiosity and passion for life. May you guide us from the heavens now our Dearest Mother and Grandmother.
The family asks that rather than flowers donations be made in her name to the Family Violence Shelter, Harmony House
