Add a Memory
Send Flowers
Make a Donation
Obituary
Guest Book
Age 92 of Morris, Illinois, passed away on Friday, June 13, 2025, at Serenity Estates of Morris.
Born January 1, 1933, in Morris, Illinois, Lucy Ellen was a daughter of Edward and Ethel (Ratcliff) Garrity. She attended local schools and graduated from St. Angela Academy in 1950. She went on to complete her nursing certification at Mercy Hospital through St. Xavier University, graduating with the Class of 1953. Lucy dedicated 30 years of her life to nursing with the Veterans Administration. Throughout her career, she lived in Morris, Dwight, Illinois, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and California. On September 25, 1987, she married Lee Novotne in California. Following her retirement, the couple returned to Morris.
Lucy was a devoted member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Morris, where she generously volunteered her time and talents, including faithfully laundering the liturgical linens used for Mass. She enjoyed reading and completing word search puzzles and was known for her quiet acts of service such as giving rides, cleaning homes, and caring for ill friends and neighbors.
She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Lucy was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lee; sisters: Sister Mary Yvonne, Marilyn (Herman) Olsen, and Mary June Garrity Enger.
Cremation rites have been accorded.
The family will receive friends for a memorial visitation at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 600 East Jackson Street in Morris, on Saturday, June 28, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. until the time of Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m., with Rev. Jason Stone presiding. Lucy will be laid to rest in Mt. Carmel Cemetery.
Preferred memorials may be made as gifts in Lucy's name to the recipient of the donor's choosing.
Family and friends are encouraged to visit www.ReevesFuneral.com to sign the guestbook, upload photos, and share Lucy’s memorial page through social media.
Cremation services and memorial arrangements have been made under the direction and care of Reeves, Fruland & Baskerville Funeral Homes and Crematory. (815-942-2500)
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and condolences can be left on the obituary at the funeral home website.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read moreWhat kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read moreWe'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreIf you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read moreLegacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read moreThey're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read moreYou may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read moreThese free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read moreSome basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more