Published on February 18, 2025 6:39 am
Last Updated on February 18, 2025 6:40 am
Maurine Grace (Friese) Lugar, 97, of Stewardson, Illinois, passed away peacefully on February 11, 2025, at the Lutheran Care Center in Altamont, Illinois.
Born on May 8, 1927, in Stewardson, Illinois, to Walter Harold and Florence Caroline (Buesking) Friese, Maurine’s life was a testament to the enduring values of faith, family, and friendship. A lifelong resident of Stewardson, Maurine was a 1945 graduate of Stewardson High School and a devout Christian, baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church, where she remained a dedicated member throughout her life. Her professional years were spent as a teller at Shelby County State Bank, where she worked for a decade, known for her warm smile.
On August 6, 1948, Maurine united in marriage with her beloved husband, Kenneth Lugar, marking the beginning of a loving partnership that would last for 60 beautiful years until his passing on July 3, 2009. Together, they created a legacy of love, embodied by their three children, Christine (Tom) Bailey of Sullivan, Kevin (Tammy) Lugar of Mattoon, and David (Lisa) Lugar of Effingham; six grandchildren, Jeremy (Michelle) Bailey, Alexander (Molly) Bailey, Spencer (Maggie) Bailey, Heather (Michael) Johnson, Dustin Lugar, and Hillary (Phillip) Sweeney, and nine great-grandchildren. Maurine was a beloved sister to Zelma Shouse, Nelda McCoy, and Janet Friese, as well as a dear sister-in-law to Beverley Friese, Linda Friese and Ruth Rothrock. Her family was a source of immense pride and happiness, and she nurtured these relationships with care and devotion.
Maurine was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Kenneth, her sisters Maxine Doeding and Carol Glenn, her brothers James and Ronald Friese; her brothers-in-law, Lowell Shouse, Donald Doeding, Ronald McCoy, Dean Glenn and Darrell Rothrock.
Graveside services to honor and celebrate the life of Maurine Grace Lugar will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at Stewardson Cemetery, with Pastor David Weaver officiating. Prior to the service, friends and family are invited to gather for the visitation from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the graveside service at Brummerstedt Funeral Home in Stewardson. Brummerstedt Funeral Home in Stewardson is assisting the family. Family and friends are invited to share a story or light a candle by clicking here.