Lula Kain Ezell

On Sunday, December 4, 2022, Lula Kain Ezell, age 94, much loved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to many, passed away at home with family by her side. Born in Kingsland, Georgia, Lula moved to Florida after WWII in 1946, married, and began to raise her family. Our family matriarch, Mom is survived by three of her five daughters, three loving sons-in-law, five grandchildren, four grand-spouses, and nine great grandchildren. Lula loved to travel with her family: Greece, Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, France, Italy, Sicily, the North East and Western states. Her first foreign trip was as chaperone for the Sarasota High School Sailor Marching Band when it went to Mexico City in 1972. She quickly became the favorite chaperone on band trips. She was a girl scout leader and enjoyed loading up the family car and taking her daughters camping. Summer vacations for the family were always in the family plans. Lula was an avid foody, loved to eat and to cook. She loved films and theater. She was the costume designer and seamstress for the Siesta Key Actors Theatre in the 70’s and regularly ushered for the Asolo Theatre and Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Strength in her Faith provided lifelong companionship and stability in her life. She was a member of Faith Community Church (formerly known as Faith Presbyterian Church) for over 25 years. Her love of crafts and life-long flair for sewing laid the foundation for her joy in sharing her talents with the craft group, supporting the church flea market, Shoeboxes for Christmas, Faith Cafe, Young at Heart, The Pillow Ministry for All Children’s Hospital. She led a Grief Share group and attended many bible study groups. After quitting smoking herself, she taught Smoking Cessation for the American Lung Association. She was a volunteer for Suncoast Hospice with the PACE program, still making her calls to others who needed to hear a compassionate caring voice. Prior to that she was a volunteer for the Lavender Team. Reaching out to others was always important to her. Her love for her deaf grandson led her to enroll in an American Sign Language Class when she was in her 90’s so that she could communicate better with him. Mama Lu shared her love of crafting & sewing with her daughters, granddaughters and friends, never tiring of finding new projects and challenges that she would tell us about or encourage us to attempt. She lovingly made adorable baby quilts for the last of her great-grandchildren. Hers was an inquisitive and thoughtful mind. She returned for classes in the late 70’s, read the newspaper every day, and watched PBS through the years. Crossword puzzles were a daily challenge that she met even up until the last. She loved jokes and good stories. And, until the end, she would recall movie lines and songs to lighten a moment. As a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Lula cared deeply about the world her family would be living in after she was gone. She was a complex woman. As her three surviving daughters, we know how she has loved each of her five daughters, the heartache of losing two before their time, and that she experienced our joys and struggles as only a mother can. Our Mother may rest in peace knowing that she touched so many people with her intelligence, her talents, her spirit, her compassion, her existence. She will truly be missed every day. In lieu of flowers, please support Faith Community PreSchool, 11501 Walker Ave., Seminole, FL 33772.

Tributes

Lula Kain Ezell

December 4, 2022