M. Lucille Thomas (nee Smoker) was born on April 18, 1947, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She was the third daughter of Kenneth and Rhoda Smoker. The family eventually grew to five girls and two boys.

Kenneth Smoker was a Mennonite preacher with a second career as a salesman. The family served churches in Pennsylvania and migrated to Newton, Kansas, where there was a large Mennonite community.

Lucy mostly grew up there, graduating from Newton High School in 1965. She worked several jobs both in Newton and nearby Wichita, Kansas, eventually graduating from Emporia State University with a master’s degree in English.

A lover of fabrics and textiles Lucy loved to sew, knit and crochet. In the early 1980s she had her own dressmaking business in Wichita. During this time she met her future husband Neil while he was stationed at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma.

When Neil was transferred to New Mexico’s Holloman AFB, Lucy joined him there. In late 1984 Neil was deployed to Howard Air Base Panama for 179 days to support units in Honduras. Lucy joined him there and they were married in Panama on Dec. 1, 1984.

Their daughter Gwyneth Rhiannon was born Dec. 9, 1985, and son Brendan Neil was born Aug. 28, 1987.

In 1990 Neil left active duty, went to work for the Vandenberg Launch Contractor ITT, and the family relocated to Santa Maria. Lucy continued her love of fabrics and textiles here sewing and knitting.

She was preceded in death by her father Kenneth Smoker; mother Rhoda Smoker; sisters Rosie, Carolyn, Charlotte; and her brother Russell. She is survived by her sister Ellen Janssen; brother Guy Smoker; husband Neil; daughter Gwyneth Gray; son Brendan; and granddaughter Alayna Gray.

There will be a service at 11 a.m. Friday, March 28 in the Chapel of Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary.

Visit www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com to leave a condolence for the family.