Ludmilla Wyckoff

Ludmilla "Lucy" Wyckoff, 86, died peacefully in her home in Flagstaff Sunday, Dec. 9, 2007, with loving friends and family by her side.

She was born Ludmilla Sergei Dmitrieff on Sept. 29, 1921, in Harbin, China. Her father was an accountant for the Transiberian Railroad and moved his family to Harbin from Moscow, Russia in 1904. Harbin had a thriving Russian community in those days, and the family stayed for 20 years before immigrating to the United States in 1924.

The family lived first in San Francisco, eventually settling in Los Angeles where Mrs. Wyckoff attended Hollywood High School. She met Ted Wyckoff at UCLA, and they were married on April 22, 1945. They spent the next 30 years traveling with the U.S. Army to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Weinheim and Bonn, Germany (two tours of duty), Fort Sill, Okla., Washington, D.C., Princeton, N.J., Tempe and Monterey, Calif. Fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French and of course, Russian, Mrs. Wyckoff was well known wherever she lived as a marvelous cook and gracious hostess.

A resident of Flagstaff for 40 years, Mrs. Wyckoff gave to her community in many unselfish ways. She was active in her church, Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, singing in the choir and in the order of the Daughters of the King. Over her community service career, she was a tireless leader as president of Northern Arizona University faculty wives, president of her PEO chapter, and president of Inner Wheel Chapter, Rotary Club International. She received the Soroptimist International of Flagstaff award in 1993 as a "Woman of Distinction." Another organization she was active in was the Assistance League of Flagstaff.

Mrs. Wyckoff graduated from UCLA and obtained her master's degree from NAU in 1980. She worked part time as an elementary school teacher and later on taught Russian at NAU.

She had a lifelong passion for learning and adventure, traveling constantly when she was both married and widowed. She survived the loss of a half lung to cancer (but was not a smoker) when she was 60 and had a mastectomy when she was 81. She died from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease), which was just diagnosed in late October 2007.

Mrs. Wyckoff is survived by her two daughters, Ann (Lou) Lancero of Tucson, and Barbara (Peter) Siris of New York City; four grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Theodore "Ted," in 1993, and daughter, Cathy, in 1985.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Organ Fund at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, 423 N. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86001.

A visitation will be Friday, 5 to 7 p.m., at Norvel Owens Mortuary, 914 E. Route 66. Funeral services will be Saturday at 3 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, 423 N. Beaver St. Condolences can be sent to http://www.norvelowensmortuary.com">www.norvelowensmortuary.com.

Norvel Owens Mortuary is handling arrangements.