Mary Alice Goffaux Lucas, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, gourmet cook, and great friend died November 27, 2013 in her home at Roswell, Georgia, surrounded by her family.
Mary Alice, 86 years young, was born into a loving home in Point Marion, Pennsylvania, and then moved to Charleston, West Virginia at a very young age. Her parents, Jules Goffaux and Alice Caberet Goffaux, both of Belgian decent, pre-deceased her. Mary Alice graduated from Charleston Catholic High School and attended business school while working for the City of Charleston. She worked in the office of True Temper from 1947 until 1954 when she started her family.
Edsel Lucas, her husband of 46 years, and Mary Alice lived in several cities in West Virginia–charleston, Huntington, Falls View and then moving in 1975 to Elkins, which they considered home. In 1995 they moved to Satellite Beach, FL . They continued to live part of the year in Elkins until her husband’s death in 1997.
Mary Alice was known for her love of God, her devoted love to her children, grandchildren and great grand-children and her gourmet cooking and hospitality talents. She was a true matriarch of her large, loving family. She entertained frequently, hosting dinner parties for her husband’s business clients, their many friends and civic organizations including the Queen’s Coffee for the Mountain State Forest Festival. She loved to travel and was an avid gardener. She was a member of the Women’s Club in Elkins and was always very active in her children and grandchildren’s activities.
She kept her six children and 21 grandchildren very well connected to her and to each other through many phone calls and visits throughout the years. She also loved her IPad and Facebook after taking a computer class at the age of 85. She maintained strong ties to the many friends, neighbors and relatives she knew from her early life until her death. She was a sweet and thoughtful friend to many, often providing a homemade dish, baked item, or something fresh from her garden to bring cheer or comfort.
Preceding her in death are her husband, Edsel Lucas, brothers, Marion and Jules Goffaux, her sister-in-law Dot Goffaux and a very close cousin, Gladys Wilkin.
Surviving family members include daughters Teresa Kamm (Robert) Atlanta, GA; Sharon Krummrich (Craig) Ventura, CA; Dr. Janet Lintala (Alan) Beckley, WV; Nola Stull (Andy) Atlanta, GA; Lisa Popera (Greg) Bethesda, MD; a son, Donald J. Lucas (Flo) Windham, NH; beloved former daughter-in-law Marlene Lucas, Duluth, GA. She leaves behind twenty-one beloved grandchildren who are Bob Kamm, Jessica Kamm Cathell and Megan Kamm Lee; Don, Ben, Joe, Heather and Josh Lucas; Carter, Caleb, Claire and Sophia Krummrich; Aidan, Mason and Pierson Lintala; Drew and Will Stull; and Ashleigh, Alexa, John and Teddy Popera and four great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends at Saint Brendan Catholic Church of Elkins on Saturday from 10 to 11:15 AM. On Saturday at 11:30 AM, A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated. The Very Rev. Donald X. Higgs, VF will be the Presider and interment will follow at the Beverly Cemetery in Beverly, WV. Flowers are welcome or a memorial contribution can be made to Autism Recovery Resource Center 2401 S. Kanawha Street, Beckley, WV 25801.
