Lucille Caroline Bies (née Gutgsell), 85, of Jasper, Indiana, passed away at 3:30am, Friday, January 6, 2017, at Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Jasper surrounded by loved ones. She was born in Jasper on September 17, 1931 to Godfrey and Veronica (née Wehr) Gutgsell. She was joined in holy matrimony to Dr. John G. (“Jack”) Bies, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Jasper, on February 7, 1953. Lucy and Jack enjoyed a long, loving marriage of sixty-three years, a love story that began at a dance at the Calumet Lake Pavilion.
In addition to her husband Jack, she is also survived by: her son John Bies (of Evansville, Indiana); son Doug Bies and his wife, Cindi Bies (of Jasper); daughter Christine and her husband, Todd Curtis (of Woodstock, Illinois); son Kurt Bies (of Jasper); and daughter Angela Bies and her husband Toby Egan (of Potomac, Maryland); fifteen grandchildren; and four great-children. Lucy was one of twelve siblings, and is survived by her sisters, Lorraine Brown and her husband, Bob, and Patty Sermersheim and her husband, Jerry (of Ft. Wayne, Indiana), Sr. Betty Gunselman (of Evansville, Indiana), Barb Berger and her husband Dave (of Jasper), and Mary Lehmkuhler (of Jasper) and brothers, Larry Gutgsell and his wife LouAnn (of St. Anthony, Indiana), Dave Gutgsell and wife Rosie (of Jasper), and Jim Gutgsell and wife Louise (of Jasper), and brother-in-law, John Hoban (of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan). She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Irene Hoban, her brothers, Sylvester Gutgsell and Robert Gutgsell, her brothers-in-law, Ralph Gunselman and Ed Lehmkuhler, and sister-in-law Rosie Gutgsell.
Lucy was a loving mother and homemaker for much of her life. In her early years, she worked at Wilson’s Drugstore and for Dr. Klamer; after an empty nest, she worked at Dubois County Tri-CAP. In all of these roles, she served with kindness and grace. She was an avid golfer, who both enjoyed and took the sport seriously, working hard to improve her game and to be competitive, which eventually earned her the County title. She also took up watercolor painting in mid-life, favoring old barns, trees, and other rural, natural settings as her subjects. Her faith was abiding, and for much of her life she attended Mass daily at St. Joseph’s Church in Jasper, volunteered for Perpetual Adoration, and prayed the Rosary (especially on long car trips). For decades, she made regular trips to walk the Way of the Cross at Monte Cassino Shrine Church in St. Meinrad, Indiana. A highlight of her life was visiting the Marian Shrine Fatima in Portugal. A gracious woman, she also possessed an easy sense of humor. Words don’t do justice to how delicious Lucy’s potato salad, sauerkraut and ribs, peach custard pie, and chocolate sheetcake were. She was well loved and will be deeply missed.
A Mass of Christian burial for Lucille Bies will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 12, 2017, in St. Joseph Catholic Church with entombment to follow in Fairview Cemetery Mausoleum in Jasper.
Friends may call from 9:00 a.m. until the 11:00 a.m.service time on Thursday in St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jasper. Father William Traylor will officiate.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church or to Good Samaritan Society – Northwood Retirement Community, Jasper, Indiana. Condolences may be made at www.becherkluesner.com. Lucille’s family is profoundly grateful to the skilled, loving staff at Good Samaritan Nursing home, and for the many family and friends who faithfully visited her there over the years.
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