Lila LaJune Tracy

Lila LaJune Tracy, resident of Ivins, UT went home to be with the Lord Thursday, December 29, 2016, at the Southern Utah Veteran’s Home due to Respiratory Failure. Lila was surrounded by family and friends at her passing and had been visited recently by both of her children, and all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren earlier this year. Lila was 91 years, 10 months, and 29 days old at her passing. Lila was born January 30, 1925 to Junis William Liebig and Nola (Hampton) Liebig in Eliza Township, Illinois. Lila married Clair Ernest Tracy on March 14, 1944 at the First Presbyterian Church in Aledo, Illinois, and they were married 72 years. Clair went home to be with the Lord Sunday, July 10, 2016 at the Southern Utah Veteran’s Home where they both resided from May 4, 2016 until their deaths. Lila grew up on her parent’s farm north of Joy, Illinois at Winter’s Creek with her five sisters and one brother. Her family leased the farm and raised corn, oats, and hay to feed the cattle, pigs, goats, geese and chickens. Lila’s dad, Junis, died April 26, 1939 at 62 from high blood pressure. This put tremendous economic pressure on the family, so several had to go find work and support themselves. Lila was just 14 and had just finished the 8th grade, and she went to take care of two older ladies in Joy for room and board so she could attend Joy High School. Lila was involved in Girls Glee Club and the Girl’s Athletic Association beginning her freshman year and she received her Joy High School letter (J) for Literature (L) and Music (M) with recitations of poetry and speech by the time she graduated. Lila was a gifted speed reader her whole life until dementia overtook her last few years. Lila graduated from Joy High School in 1943. Lila and Clair started dating in 1940 while Lila was in high school, and Lila gave Clair her picture for his 22nd birthday in 1942, when she was still 16. Clair went off to WWII in November, 1941 while Lila was a high school sophomore. After high school graduation Lila worked at Stutt’s Drug Store in Aledo and lived above the store for room and board. After being married, Lila traveled with Clair to Las Vegas and Alexandria, LA. where he finished his B-17 training and assembled their crew. Lila returned to Aledo just before Clair buzzed Aledo at night with his B-17 on his flight to England. Lila worked at Cooper Jewelry in Aledo during the war years while Clair was piloting B-17’s from Polebrook, England for 35 bombing missions over Germany. Lila was a farm wife for ten years after WWII on two leased farms near Aledo, Illinois. Rodger was born in 1946 on the first farm, and Rosalie was born in 1949 just before moving to the second farm. In 1955 Clair and Lila moved to Whittier, CA. Lila began work as a preschool teacher at East Whittier Presbyterian Church Nursery School and was a devoted teacher for 32 years. Lila helped Clair run their small vending machine business for a few years before they both retired in 1989, selling their house in Rowland Heights, CA, and moved to Spokane, WA with their son Rodger and his family. They bought an RV and traveled to every state in the continental US and every province in Canada, over 100,000 miles in 13 years. They played as much golf as possible on those trips. In 2003 they moved to Wenatchee, WA and enjoyed their view of the snow covered Cascades out their front windows, and all the apples, cherries, and fresh fruit. Clair and Lila moved to St. George, UT in 2013 and enjoyed the red rock views from their patio, and walking laps (with their walkers) around their home and neighborhood together. They made several road trips with Rodger and Lynn to Zion, Bryce Canyon, Kolob Canyon, Coral Sand Dunes, and Snow Canyon. While at the Southern Utah Veteran’s Home Lila enjoyed local road trips to Kayenta, and to the red rocks and sand dunes at Snow Canyon in early November. Lila recently helped Rodger decorate Clair’s headstone at the Ivins City Cemetery for Christmas with a wreath and cross. Lila enjoyed taking “walks” around the Southern Utah Veterans Home on the warm sunny days, seeing the beautiful desert flowers, and in particular the brilliant purple of the Texas Sage. She enjoyed sitting on the many patios with spectacular views of Red Mountain and the red cliffs and rock formations. She loved feeding and watching the many native birds and was thrilled when she saw several flocks of migrating geese late this fall. The Lord called Lila to become a Christian in the fall of 1941 through the personal witness and ministry of Mrs. McNall, an older woman whom Lila was caring for in her home. Lila was baptized in the fall of 1941 at the Joy Presbyterian Church. Clair became a Christian in the spring of 1935 and encouraged Lila in her faith as they began dating prior to Clair leaving for WWII. Lila served in fellowship and children’s ministries, and attended Bible studies at various churches over the years. Lila and Clair attended Desert Ridge Baptist Church services and home Bible studies in St. George, UT as their health permitted the past three years. Lila was a devoted wife, mother, grandma, great grandma, and teacher. Lila was a very hard worker, with the gift of helps, who served others by helping in any way she could, at home - and even at Southern Utah Veteran’s Home where she cleaned and folded laundry for the staff. Lila is survived by her son Rodger (Lynn) in St. George, UT, her daughter Rosalie (Dixie) in Desert Hot Springs, CA; grandsons Rodger (Janie) Oetken in Huntington Beach, CA, Christian (Natasha) in Houston, TX, Jonathan (Kristin) in Sandy, UT, granddaughters Joy (Chris) Alvarez in Montclair, CA, Mary (Ron) Morales in Tujunga, CA, and six great grandchildren. Lila is survived by one sister, Lucy in Aledo, IL. Lila is preceded in death by her parents Junis and Nola Liebig, and her brother Martin, and her sisters Ruth, Mildred, Vera, and Evelyn. The Interment Service will be held at 9:30AM, Saturday, February 11, 2017 at the Ivins City Cemetery, UT. The Memorial Service will be held at 10:30AM, Saturday, February 11, 2017 at the Southern Utah Veteran’s Home – East Auditorium, Ivins, UT. All friends, family, and the veterans (spouses) and staff at SUVH are all warmly welcomed to both services. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Southern Utah Veteran’s Home, 160 North 200 East, Ivins, UT, 84738. We would like to extend our gratitude for the love and care given to Lila and Clair by the staff at the Southern Utah Veteran’s Home, to the staff at CNS Hospice, to the American Legion and Utah National Guard for honoring Clair’s service, and to Desert Ridge Baptist Church for your love, support, and visits to Clair and Lila.

Lila LaJune Tracy

January 30, 1925 - December 29, 2016