Lucie Detrick, 74, of Grand Marais, passed away on March 11, 2012, surrounded by her family. She was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Lucie was born May 14, 1937, in Kassel, Germany, one of seven children. Many stories have been told about growing up during World War II and the impact it had on her family.
Lucie went to business school and then worked in a lighting store, where she met her future husband, John Detrick. John was in the U.S. Air Force working undercover secret operations along with Lucie’s boss. John didn’t want to get married and have kids, so Lucie proposed, he accepted, and they had two children, Dean and Virginia. They lived in San Bernardino, CA and Washington, D.C. until they decided to leave the military and settle in Knife River, MN.
Lucie and John started Detrick Realty in 1971, creating a legacy they passed on to their children. In 1976, they moved their business from Duluth to Grand Marais. Lucie and John could often be seen in their motor home cruising around the county meeting customers, fishing, or just enjoying the north woods.
In 1991, Lucie’s beloved John passed away and she had to rebuild her life without him. In 1994, she earned her real estate license and began selling homes and dreams. Lucie was an incredible salesperson, touching many people with her honesty, no-nonsense personality, generosity, and sense of humor.
In 2009, tragedy touched her life again when her son, Dean, passed away from TTP.
Through the years, Lucie was blessed with four grandchildren, all of whom she considered the light of her life. Lucie always said, “I don’t give gifts, I give memories.” She did this through family vacations to Mexico, Germany and many other places.
Lucie enjoyed working in the Rose Garden, helping out with the Grand Marais Lioness Club, and walking her dog by the Grand Marais Harbor. Her delightful German accent and words of wisdom and advice will be missed.
She is survived by her daughter, Virginia (Richard) Palmer of Grand Marais and their daughters, Lexie and Carrie; daughter-in-law, Amy Detrick, and her sons, Joseph and Jackson; and her loyal companion, Buttercup. In Germany, she leaves behind a brother, four sisters, and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Grand Marais on Saturday, March 17, 2012. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred for the purchase of a Grand Marais Harbor Park plaque which will be placed next to John’s memorial plaque.
Lucie said, “Celebrate my life and smile when you think of me.”
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