SMITH CENTER — Lucille Esther (Huwe) Kugler went to be with the Lord on Sept. 25, 2018.
Lucille was affectionately known as “Grandma Kugler” because of her love of people, especially children.
Lucille was born to Harry Irwin Huwe and Ella Paulina Finster Huwe on Dec. 26, 1930 in Crosby, North Dakota. She was raised near Hamlet, North Dakota, where her family attended the Lutheran Church.
Lucille fondly remembers playing tag, hide and go seek, and jumping in the hay on the family farm with her nine siblings. Lucille helped care for their many animals and took pride in milking five cows. She said they never had to buy milk or cream, and they enjoyed a lot of homemade ice cream!
Her mother baked and cooked, but when asked if she learned her cooking from her mom. Lucille replied she could just open a cookbook and follow a recipe.
Lucille and her sisters helped in the family convenience store in Hamlet. As a child, Lucille said they traveled by “horse and bus” as her dad built a platform and attached a horse to take all the kids to the town of Hamlet for school, where she attended through eighth grade. Her family moved to Williston, North Dakota, in 1949.
As a teen, Lucille worked cleaning houses and babysitting.
She met J.D. (Duane) Kugler when he came to town for harvest. When the harvest season was over, he came back to North Dakota as he had promised her. They married on Jan. 15, 1951.
They moved in with Duane’s parents for about a year before moving to the farm where they raised their 11 children in Smith County. They attended the Methodist Church in Womer. Lucille never had a driver’s license, so on infrequent trips to town the whole family would pile into the station wagon with Duane at the wheel and two kids facing backward in the rear seats. Lucille did drive a couple of miles once during a medical emergency for one of the kids, but once she realized he was OK, she went back home.
Her family moved to Smith Center in 1981, and she worked outside the home at Brown’s Café and cleaning the Post Office in Smith Center. She also worked at Dale’s Supermarket in the deli and at Wagon Wheel Café.
However, her greatest joy in life was raising their 11 children and helping care for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She could pat any baby to sleep and she welcomed all of her friends, family and their friends into her home.
No matter what time of the day or night someone would show up, she was known to ask, “Have you eaten yet?” She could have a pot of coffee, hamburger and potatoes started in no time and would often bake a pie from scratch while playing a hand of cards. She enjoyed sharing her love of baking, especially during the holiday season when she took orders for her famous butter rolls and pies.
Lucille was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Ella Huwe; and husband, J.D. (Duane) Kugler; grandson Thomas Arnett; granddaughter Atlanta Coronado; brothers LeRoy (Lois) and Lowell (Harriett) Huwe; sisters Blanche (Stuart) Grove, Verna (Obert) Hanson, Leona (Dean) Washburn, Joyce (Melvin) Wrolson, Cherol Alton; sister-in-law Lola Huwe; and son-in-law Don Arnett.
She is lovingly remembered by her children Marian Kay (Ed) Shellito, Marilyn Arnett of Lebanon, Martha (Mitch) Smith of Shickley, Nebraska, Marva Hayward of Concordia, Marcia (Steve) Peterson of Lebanon, Mary VanderGiesen of Smith Center, Marlys (Phil) Strait of Johnstown, Colorado, Marjorie (Bob) Hitchcock of Wichita, Jay Dee (Joanne) Kugler of Billings, Montana, Marla (Gary) VanderGiesen of Smith Center, and Johnny Ray (Jina) Kugler of Wamego; 33 grandchildren; 55 great-grandchildren; 19 great-great grandchildren; two brothers, Lyle (Lillie) Huwe and Clair Huwe of Bismarck, North Dakota; brother-in-law Tex Alton of Williston, North Dakota, brother-in-law Marvin (Elsie May) Kugler of Smith Center; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Simmons-Rentschler Mortuary, 116 W. First St., Smith Center, KS 66967. Celebration of life service will at 2:30 Friday, Sept. 28 at the mortuary. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery, North Main Street, Smith Center, KS 66967.
Memorial contributions may be made to Smith Center High School FCCLA, 300 Roger Barta Way Smith Center, KS 66967, or to Hospice Services of Smith County.