Kratz, Lucia LJ

1929 ~
 2015

OBITUARY

The world became a place of lesser beauty with the passing of Lucia Giuseppina Artino Kratz, 85, born November 13, 1929 in Cleveland Ohio. She passed away on October 29, 2015 at Methodist West Hospital Katy, TX.,  with family at bedside.

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Lucy Jo, Meemaw, or Jozie as she was called, loved Jesus and her family. She was the daughter of proud, patriotic Italian immigrants with family origins from Sicily, Vincenza and Salvatore (Jenny & Sam) Artino. She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 22 years, Richard Lawrence Kratz (passed away in 1975), her beloved older sister, Teresa Cordaro, and her younger brother,  Benedetto (Ben) Artino.
    
She leaves to cherish her precious memory, her beloved little brother, Ignatius (Ned) Artino, her sons James Collins Kratz  and wife Tammy Kratz, Joseph Richard Kratz and wife Sandra Kratz, daughter Kathryn Cecilia Kratz Chancey and husband Mack Chancey and Suzanna Maria Kratz Combest and husband Steven Combest.

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She also leaves four wonderful loving grandchildren, Jeffrey, Amber and Robby, Christina, and Tommy, and three special great grandchildren Chason, Skylir and Kensley “Kiki”. Also surviving are Nieces Connie Lynn Cordaro,  Janet Leach Cordaro, and Joanie Cordaro, Pam, Randi, and Robin Smith. Her most cherished friends, Wanda Combest, John Burnett, Diane Traconis, Robert and Gail Johnson, and Deborah “Isi”  Ijesuyovwe; along with other cherished friends and relatives. She leaves numerous cherished pets behind from 2 blended households. CJ her devoted beagle escorts her to heaven as they both passed on the same day.
    
A long-time resident of Houston, she was a member of the Catholic Co-Cathedral, where she was employed as a Soprano soloist with her phenomenally beautiful  voice for several years, and performed at St. Frances de Sales especially Christmas. She sang 25 Jones Hall Operas with the Houston Grand Opera, having begun her career in Cleveland at the Karamu theater. She was offered a contract to New York but turned it down to become a devoted mother, wife and follower of Christ. She belonged to St. Vincent de Paul  Catholic Church, enjoying Father Bill’s Life Teen service.
    
She attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music on a full scholarship, where she met her future husband, who was recording the students, and attending pharmacy school. She designed the Central Pharmacy at St. Luke’s and supported her husband who instituted unit dose and a satellite pharmacy system, while he earned his master’s degree. She worked in the Houston schools for 29 years as an art and substitute teacher, clerk typist, and telephone operator. She was known for her creativity and resourcefulness. She wrote and published poetry, musical plays for children and with the Girl Scouts that were performed in Houston public libraries and schools.  She designed and made jewelry for her friends, family and nurses, and loved to draw.
Her happiest times were when she spent time playing, drawing and entertaining her grand and great grandchildren and loved having her family and friends around her.  She loved all of Gods creatures and participated in animal rescue and rehoming. Now She joins her childhood friend who recently passed, Shashana Long (Shoney), who encouraged her to write her memoirs. “Lucy Jo’s” love of the Church and Christ were expressed through her poetry and her beautiful  gifted voice from God. She shared both her writing and poetry to all she came into contact with….family, friends, strangers.  She lived to share the word of God.
    

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There will be a wake Wednesday evening from 6 to 8pm on November 4th at Darst Funeral Home 796 Russell Palmer Rd, Kingwood, Tx 77339.

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The funeral mass will be Thursday at St.Martha Catholic Church 4301 Woodridge Pkwy, Tx 77365 November 5th at 11a.m.

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Followed by a burial at 1pm 13102 North Fwy, Houston, TX 77060 at Earthman’s Resthaven Cemetery next to her beloved Husband.

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A reception will be given in her honor at the VFW hall on FM 494, Kingwood, Texas.

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Service Information

Visitation: A visitation was held on 2015-11-05 at Darst Funeral Home.

To express your sympathy with a flower arrangement please contact our florist.

One Response

  1. Lucy Jo was a wonderful woman and always treated me like one of her kids. I miss her and her daughter Kathy (Casey). Love and miss you both!

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