By Julia Brothers
SHREWSBURY – Lucille Brothers has lived many lives and done many things in her first 100 years.
As an only child growing up in Albany, New York, she excelled at academics and the arts. After attending college in Albany, Lucille did graduate work in English and theater at Fordham University in New York City. After graduation, she pursued acting and in 1950 met her soon-to-be husband John Brothers while doing summer stock at a theater on Long Beach Island. After a whirlwind romance, they were married and soon had three children.
When her kids were old enough, Lucille started teaching high school English and drama and continued for many years in the many cities the family moved to as John was promoted and transferred in his job with the B&O Railroad. Lucille taught and directed high school plays and was a mentor for many of the young women in her classes – a strong, independent, intelligent woman with a big heart.
Lucille felt the call to become more politically active and to make the world a better place, so she retired from teaching in 1978, sold her house, amicably ended her marriage, and moved from New Jersey to a group house in Washington, D.C. There she got her license as a yoga instructor and a masseuse, and worked with Women Strike for Peace, an organization that frequently marched on the Pentagon for world peace, against military involvement abroad and for human rights for everyone.
Opposed to the government’s policies in Nicaragua, Lucille wanted to help the people there, so she enrolled in an accelerated LPN course and became a nurse in one year, then took an immersion class in Spanish and learned the language in six months. She went to the mountains of Nicaragua and volunteered in any capacity she could to help the people there who were suffering.
Back in the District of Columbia, Lucille continued her political activism and traveled wherever she felt she could contribute and make a difference. This led her to move to Tucson, Arizona, where she worked with Native Americans and rekindled her love and talent for watercolor. She volunteered at museums as a docent and dedicated time to painting. The works of art she produced in the 10 years she lived there were beautiful homages to the life she was surrounded by, and many of the pieces sold at local art exhibits.
Lucille moved to Texas to be with one of her daughters, Gail, to be a companion and help Gail’s husband Gus as he dealt with Parkinson’s disease. Lucille’s compassion, nursing training, and deep love helped her daughter and son-in-law tremendously.
While in Texas, Lucille volunteered in the community in whatever capacity she could to do whatever was needed to help those less fortunate than she was. In 2007, at the age of 84, Lucille moved back to New Jersey and lived in an apartment in Red Bank, volunteering to help “the old people” at the senior center and working on many mayoral committees in the town.
She babysat her grandchildren and helped her son Geoff and his wife Michelle with daily chores. She also went to see her daughter Julia in plays she appeared in, never missing an opening night. A deeply spiritual person, Lucille became involved with the Quakers, and attended Sunday meetings whenever possible.
In 2017, Lucille moved to a nursing home in Shrewsbury, where she presently lives, enjoying visits from family and friends.
Mentor, teacher, healer, activist, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend. Lucille has touched the lives of so many. She has been a maverick for human rights, an inspiration to do what is needed, and has been – and continues to be – a shining example of what it is to live a kind and generous life.
She is surrounded by her family on her 100th birthday: her son Geoff; her two daughters, Gail and Julia; grandchildren, Marlena, Theresa and Everett; daughter-in-law Michelle; and great-grandchildren, Catalina, Delilah and Ruby.
Not one to make a fuss about herself, when Lucille was asked what she thought about turning 100, she said, “Oh my word. Let’s just leave that alone, don’t you think?”
The article originally appeared in the March 16 – 22, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
