Obituary of Lucille Ruth Leffel

Lucille Ruth (Gradeless) Leffel, 96 of South Bend, Indiana passed away, surrounded by family, on Thursday, November 1, 2018 at Center for Hospice, South Bend.

Lucille (Lucy) was born February 1922 in Indiana to the late Elmer and Emily (McKinney) Gradeless.  She married Maurice E. Leffel in 1940.

Lucy retired after a varied career with fifteen years in banking, and many years at Niles Community Schools.  She was a member of the Barron Lake Association, Niles YMCA, and a Lioness.  Lucille volunteered as an election poll worker, assisted in several triathlons, and at Cass County Fairs. Lucy was an avid reader and enjoyed stitching and swimming, but her greatest joy was time spent with family, especially her 3 sisters, who shared her love of travel and merriment.

Lucille was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Maurice;  brothers, Ralph, Thorrald, Earl, Paul and Lawrence Gradeless; sisters, Margaret Thomas, Thelma Snyder and Lois Jean Webb.

She is survived by her children, Vickie (Kenneth) Ragle of Niles, Mi and Harold (MaryAnn) Leffel of Monterey, Ca.; four grandchildren, Andrea Leffel (Dan) Coleman of San Jose, Ca, David (Kelley Brennan) Leffel of San Jose, Ca, Angela Ragle of Detroit, Mi and Kelly Ragle (Mark) Herriman of Granger, In.; four great granddaughters; Katherine, Victoria and Alexandra Coleman and Sydney Herriman, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, November 5, 2018 at Brown Funeral Home, 521 E. Main Street, Niles. Visitation will begin at 10:00am and services at 11:00am.  She will be laid to rest next to her husband and sisters in St. Matthews Cemetery in Columbia City, Indiana at 2:30pm.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Niles Public Library, 620 E. Main Street, Niles, Michigan 49120.

Memories of Lucille may be shared with her family at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.