b. October 3, 1917

by Barbara Sue Oglesby Nicholl, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Erwin, 2015

Dr. William Adair and his young wife, Lucy, moved to Erwin, North Carolina, in 1941, when Dr. Adair entered family medical practice there. This was good news for St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Erwin, because the couple soon became fully involved in the life of the parish. It was not long before the church family also included Bill and Lucy’s two daughters, Rosemary and Ann.

While Dr. Adair served on the Vestry, Lucy worked in the Women’s Auxiliary, and in the 1940s she became instrumental in starting St. Stephen’s bazaars, which still occur annually. Bazaars which Lucy chaired or on which she worked were always beautiful events. Lucy has the ability to cajole others into putting forth their best efforts. She is truly interested in people, from the youngest to the oldest parishioner. With an eye to beauty and grace in every endeavor, Lucy always kept God at the center of her work. Lucy’s report as 1970 Altar Guild chairman sums up the beauty she sees in every person and in the importance of church work: “We members of the Guild have enjoyed serving the church during the year and sincerely hope others will join us and have the privilege of serving at God’s Altar.” When Fr. Jim Scouten became St. Stephen’s priest in 1970, he asked Lucy to be the first chairman of the Memorial Fund.

Lucy always felt that St. Stephen’s should be involved in the larger life of the Episcopal Church, often serving as a delegate to the Annual Convention. Throughout the years Lucy served in various leadership positions in St. Stephen’s ECW, including president for 1973-1974 and 1977-1979. As president or as program chairman, Lucy invited friends she had met from around the diocese to speak at ECW programs, opening her home to the speakers. Her friendships throughout the diocese resulted in Lucy’s being elected Vice-President of the Diocesan ECW in 1979. Lucy served on the Diocesan ECW Board from 1979 to 1984. During this time she chaired the Education and Training Committee and organized the Diocesan fall seminars.

In 1984 St. Stephen’s Church was instrumental in bringing Hospice to Harnett County and Lucy was on the first board of Hospice. Between 1987 and 2000 Lucy served three terms on the St. Stephen’s Vestry.

In 2013, at age 95, Lucy moved to a retirement home in Raleigh, The Oaks at Whitaker Glen, to be near her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When she found that there was no Episcopal service at The Oaks, Lucy took action. Through a deacon at St. Michael’s in Raleigh, Lucy secured a priest who comes every other Sunday, preaches a sermon, and gives communion to residents. As Lucy said, “The only thing we are missing is the music.” Today she graciously welcomes friends into her lovely apartment, and as always, inquires about the church and makes each visitor feel that he or she is the most important person in the world.