Lucie Merritt (Hale) Graham, 97, passed away Sunday, Sept. 24, 2006, at Bettendorf (Iowa) Health Care Center. Born April 14, 1909, in Willisburg, Ky., Lucie was the 11th child of 12, with eight brothers and three sisters. Lucie married Harold Graham on Sept. 26, 1925; he passed away in 1976. She and her husband lived and worked in DeKalb and Waukegan, Ill., during the early years of their marriage. They had four sons; two, Harold Jr. and Wayne, passed away as infants.

She was a homemaker and operated a truck farm with her husband in north central Iowa in the town of Plymouth for many years. They were recognized for "Graham's strawberries." She was a resident of Plymouth for more than 50 years and moved to the Quad Cities in the fall of 2003.

Lucie also loved the company of her family and friends, and she will be greatly missed. She was often called the "Energizer bunny" by her granddaughters. She enjoyed the Hale family reunions that were held in DeKalb for many years and her visits to her hometown area in northern Kentucky.

She is survived by two sons, Elmer Eugene (Joan) Graham of Dayton, Ohio, and David Lynn (Sue) Graham of Bettendorf, Iowa; five grandsons, Scott, Jeff, Douglas, Matt and Bruce, the sons of Gene and Joan, and two granddaughters, Bridget and Brooke, the daughters of David and Sue; and 17 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold; two infant sons; and all of her brothers and sisters.

The funeral service will be held at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, at Anderson Funeral Home in DeKalb. Internment will be at the Fairview Park Cemetery in DeKalb. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials can be sent to David Graham, 5177 Schoolhouse Road, Bettendorf, IA 52722, for Plymouth Park or Bettendorf Health Care Center. For information, call (815) 756-1022.

(Published in The Daily Chronicle, De Kalb Ill., September 25, 2006)

Lucille Hale married 25 Sept. 1925 in Mason City, Cerro Gordo Co. Ia., Harold Graham.