Lucille Mae Will

Lucille Mae Will (Benzel), born May 9, 1928 passed away in Oconomowoc, WI on December 15, 2022, at the age of 94. Loving mother of Carol (David) Hoffmann and Cindy (Susanne) Will. Beloved grandmother of Crystal (Brandon) Rattin, Carin Hoffmann, Cheri (Geremiah) Krause and David (Aliyah) Hoffmann, Jr. and dear great grandmother of Lucille, Virginia, Harry and Amelia. Preceded in death by her beloved husband Donald C. Will, and brothers Ervin and Gilbert Benzel. Also survived by nieces and nephews, and other relatives and friends.

In 1976, Lucy became a born-again Christian after seeing a stunning (born again) change in her daughter, Carol’s life. Up until her death she would often say that she knows where she is going, because “Jesus died on the cross for my sins.”

Lucy was born and raised in West Milwaukee. After high school, she worked as a secretary for Rex Chain Belt, and several years later she started and managed her own real estate business, together with her husband. Lucy loved being physically active. In her early years, she played baseball, basketball and volley ball, and was a certified lifeguard. She enjoyed fishing and bowling, and met the love of her life, her future husband of over 65 years, Donald, at a bowling alley. After moving to West Allis and starting a family, Lucy became a passionate golfer who was a member of the Edgewood and Curie Park Women’s Golf Clubs. Lucy also loved to play cards, above all sheepshead and duplicate bridge, and belonged to the Greater Milwaukee Bridge Association. She was an avid Badgers, Brewers, Bucks, and Packers fan. Football was her favorite sport to watch, trekking on many occasions with Donald thorough ice and snow to watch the Packers play at County Stadium and, later in life, dancing at home with her family after every Packers touchdown.

Lucy especially enjoyed spending time with her family, and her boundless love for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren radiated through her eyes and smile. She was a fun-loving person full of positive energy who always made the very best out of any situation in her life. Lucy was strong-willed and treasured her independence, staying active and living on her own after her husband died in 2014 until a few months before her passing.

Visitation to be held at Pagenkopf Funeral Home in Oconomowoc on Thursday, December 29, 2022, from 3-5PM. Service to follow at 5PM. Private burial at Arlington Memorial Cemetery.