Lucy Walkup died Monday, January 15, 2018, at the age of 101 in Flagstaff, AZ.
Lucy was born the daughter of John Frances Meloy and Margaret (Temple) Meloy on November 25, 1916, in Benton, Wisconsin. She earned her BA in Secondary Education from Rosary College in River Forest, Illinois. She was subsequently hired by J. Lawrence Walkup, teacher, principal and superintendent, to teach in Sheridan, Missouri.
On June 2, 1943, Lucy and J. Lawrence Walkup married. The Walkups moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, in 1948, when Lawrence Walkup accepted the position of assistant professor of education and psychology at Arizona State College. Formerly a music and elementary school teacher, Lucy was a substitute teacher at the ASC Training School and later taught sophomore English at Flagstaff High School while Dr. Walkup served as professor, Dean of Education and ultimately President of ASC, leading the college to university status as Northern Arizona University in 1966. Lucy earned her MA in Secondary Education from ASC in 1958.
When Lawrence Walkup became ASC President in 1957, Lucy became immersed in campus life as campus first lady, serving in this role for 22 years, 1957-1979. The couple had a policy of openness toward students, and the President's Home was site for social functions where students learned to mix comfortably with faculty as well as fellow students. This concern for students as persons and open-door policy toward them helped ASC/NAU avoid some of the campus turbulence of the 60s. The Walkups worked for better facilities and more opportunities for students with direct campus involvement, and growth of the institution resulted. When Dr. Walkup retired in 1979, the couple continued to involve themselves in the community, even while enjoying more leisure and travel.
After Lawrence's death in 2002, Lucy continued as an NAU and community volunteer. She donated her time to the American Cancer Society, the Symphony Guild, the NAU Faculty Wives Club and as a volunteer at DeMiguel Elementary School, where she helped second- and third- grade students with their reading skills until “retiring” from her 9 years of involvement in that activity at age 98.
In her lifetime she also was a member of Nativity Church, Gamma Phi Beta, PEO, Homemakers Club, Phi Kappa Phi, Delta Kappa Gamma, Assistance Guild of Flagstaff, the Gamma Beta chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, and Kappa Delta Pi, an education honorary. Lucy received a number of honors over the years including Woman of the Year at NAU in 1961 and Platt Cline Award for Humanitarian Service in 2016 from Arizona Daily Sun Citizens of the Year.
Lawrence and Lucy Walkup were important extended family for many of their nieces and nephews. Mrs. Walkup is survived by daughter, Susan Walkup, and niece Kathi (Brewer) Hlavac of Flagstaff, sister Loretta Brewer of California, and other nieces, nephews, grandnieces and nephews from the Meloy lineage; and from the Walkup lineage, Starr Walkup of Wheeling, Missouri; Dawn Houk and husband, Bill, of Deepwater, Missouri, and their children and grandchildren; Melody Houk and husband, Jerry, of Meadville, Missouri, and their children and grandchildren; and John Walkup and wife, Crystal, of Ronan, Montana, and their children.
Flagstaff Arizona Services will be Saturday, January 20th at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel; Rosary will be recited at 10 am followed by Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Missouri services will be held at Lindley Funeral Home on Wednesday, January 24, 2018, at 11 am with visitation prior at 10:30 am, and graveside services and interment at Wheeling Cemetery in Wheeling, Missouri.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Wheeling Cemetery and may be left at or mailed to Lindley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 47, Chillicothe, Missouri 64601. Online condolences may be made at www.lindleyfuneralhomes.com.
Arizona arrangements are under the direction of Norvel Owens Mortuary, Flagstaff, Arizona. Missouri arrangements are under the direction of Lindley Funeral Home, Chillicothe, Missouri.
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