Lucille O. Hymes of Bradenton, FL passed away on February 14, 2024 at the age of 94 1/2. She was born June 7, 1929 in Syracuse, New York, daughter of Nicholas J. Ottoman and Julia (Ragusa) Ottoman. Lucille graduated from Eastwood High School in 1947.
Following graduation she attended nursing school at Syracuse General Hospital, achieving her RN in 1949. She worked at Syracuse General until it closed in 1966 when she joined the nursing team at Syracuse Memorial Hospital.
For the next 27 years she advanced through the ranks from Nursing Supervisor to Director of Nursing to Vice President of Patient Services for Crouse Irving Memorial Hospital. The hospital went through many mergers and name changes and she grew along with each one. From the bedside to the board room, Lucille was a life-long learner, taking advantage of classes, seminars and mentorship of other executives in the health system. She returned that sentiment by supporting her leaders and affording them opportunities to learn and grow. She had stayed in touch with many of them as they moved to executive positions throughout Upstate NY.
Lucille was a natural leader, mentor and advocate for her nurses, tirelessly working to improve the care her patients received while supporting the professional development of her supervisors, clinical managers and directors. One would call her a nurse's nurse who continued to offer support to her friends and family for the rest of her life.
Once a nurse always a nurse and she embodied that spirit of service. She retired in1993 and relocated to Bradenton, Florida finding the snowy winters of Upstate NY untenable and to be closer to her daughter Julie and her family.
As an avid golfer, she joined the Pinebrook Ironwood Ladies Golf Association and soon rose to chair the golf league, as well as lead many events and award banquets. She played golf into her 80's and was quite a competitor.
Shortly after arriving in FL, she was recruited to the Fairways I condo board and served as its President for 25 years from 1994 to 2019. Her thirst for knowledge brought her to learn everything she could about condo rules and laws in Florida. She was well known to every owner and was a source of knowledge and wisdom in the resolution of disputes. And she communicated all of that without email!
Lucille also joined the Bradenton mayor's re-election committee and worked to see his administration renewed. She also was appointed to the Police Pension Board as a "medical" resource and served with distinction for many years. She was known for her objectivity, consistency and fairness. In October 1993 she joined her daughter's church, Trinity Lutheran and participated faithfully in the worship of our Lord.
Her organizational skills and ability to assess and take action made her a natural leader in TLC'c Mutual Ministry Team. Her participation spanned major renovations and capital projects as well as day to day operations, supporting the pastor in many ways. Lucille felt that you have to be involved and actively participated in her communities whether it was her church, her city, her condo association or her golf league. She was respected and sought after for her "common sense," what we call "emotional intelligence " today. She spoke fondly of her church family and her perfect attendance was only interrupted by the pandemic. She truly missed the personal connections and friendships during that time.
Lucille was pre-deceased by her daughter Julie (Hemmer). That was the saddest day in her life, but her faith helped her as she navigated that grief. She is survived by her son Joe (Lori) and their three sons, Tony (Magali and two great grandsons Marlow and Angelo), Mark (Shannan) and Michael (Patricia) and Julie's son Larry Hemmer III (Raquel). All of her grandsons have experienced a huge influence on their lives by being supported and loved by Grandma Lu. She was a sounding board, confidant, cheerleader and role model that they could feel comfortable sharing their lives and concerns without judgement. Always one to pick up a new challenge, in her forties, she learned to ride and maintain a motorcycle, receiving a leather jacket as a Mother's Day gift from her children Joe and Julie.
You could find her on the weekends winding through the backroads of upstate New York with her motorcycle "gang." She spoke of the smells of fresh cut grass, Fall leaves, melting snow and the ubiquitous smell of fabric softener wafting from a lone cottage at dusk. She was at peace on her bike and she is at peace now.
A celebration of Lucille's life is in the planning stages and will take place at a future date. Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd Street West, Bradenton, Florida 34209, is in charge of arrangements.
Those who wish to remember Lucille in a special way may make gifts in her memory to her church:
Trinity Lutheran Church
2200 26th Street West
Bradenton, FL. 34205
Or at their website: www.TLCBradenton.com.
