Everyone loves Lucille. Lucille Black, without a doubt, is well loved. She was the epitome of generosity and grace, particularly during holidays. She always arrived in style, no matter the occasion, with mountains of gifts at Christmas, with filled eggs at Easter, with heaping food trays at Thanksgiving. Her generosity, whether in food, gifts, time, or love, knew no bounds. She was well known for her annual Christmas party, a cherished tradition that brought together her work family, loved ones, and close friends. It blended all the different parts of her life into one joyful celebration, marked by her generosity, warmth, and fun - an event loved by all who attended. No matter how we know her – as Mom, Aunt Lucille, Aunt Cille, Maw Maw Cille, Miss Lucille, and Ms. Black, we all love her.
Lucille, born April 7, 1939, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is the second daughter of Joseph Tucker Gibson and Annie Gibson Ford, née Cavin. From her parents, Lucille, like her two sisters, Virginia McDonald and Barbara Addison and her brother, Joseph Gibson, learned to work hard and be generous. She loved to laugh and have fun. She won Cadillacs and hit jackpots because she was one of the luckiest people, and we are the lucky ones to have known and loved her.
Lucille, with her husband Ronald, owned and operated Black’s Auto Salvage from its humble beginnings in Baton Rouge as a mechanic shop to the successful business that it became for decades in Brusly. She knew not only every detail of the business, with an encyclopedic knowledge of every make, model, and part of every car long before the days of computers, but she also knew everybody by name. With Lucille, no one was ever a stranger, never left out, never an afterthought; she made everyone feel special, feel at home, feel welcomed. Her care extended far beyond her immediate family to include her nieces, nephews, cousins and their loved ones. She also looked out for her employees and their families and her friends and people she just met. In short, she was quite simply, selfless.
Lucille was the matriarch of a large family. She is survived by her children and their spouses: Rhonda Black Gielen, Roger Black, Paul Black (Lori, nee Blanchard), Scott Black (Myra, nee Misuraca),
stepdaughter Marie Black Vanderpool; grandchildren Katie Gielen, Beau Acosta, Nathan Black (Chelsea, nee Clouatre), Nicholas Black (Amanda, nee White), Hope Black, Benjamin Black, Christian Black, Julia Black, Scotty Black and three great grandchildren Lyla Black, Shepherd Black, and Ellis Black. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Ronald Black, her stepfather Russel Ford, stepson Ronald O’Neal Black, as well as many beloved pet dogs.
Visitation will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home on Government Street Wednesday from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, and at First United Methodist 930 North Boulevard Thursday from 9:30 to 11:00 am followed by the funeral service at 11:00 am. Burial to follow at Greenoaks Memorial Park on Florida Boulevard. Please feel free to gather with the family afterwards at the Scott Black residence, 18547 Andrew Jackson Avenue in Prairieville.
The family wishes to thank the staff of The Crossing at Clarity Hospice for their compassion, support and care.
