Just over fifty-six years ago, a baby girl came into the world. I do not know if those present at Robbie’s birth sensed the magnitude of this event. However, those of us here today bear witness that this new infant grew into a woman who had the power to affect hundreds, if not thousands, of lives for good. Robbie’s impact and influence extend far beyond the walls of this chapel, and will continue to be felt for generations to come.The Lucas family has kindly asked me to take part in this service by offering a eulogy for Robbie. How do you find the words to pay tribute to a woman for whom the titles “angel” or “saint” or “queen” seem inadequate? I take comfort in knowing that Robbie would tell me to just try to do my best. I hope that as I take a few moments to share some thoughts about my very special friend, your hearts and minds will also be flooded with personal memories of Robbie. I think that you will agree with me that we have been privileged to rub shoulders with one of the noble and great spirits foreordained and chosen before she was born to fulfill her mission on the earth.
For biographical information about Robbie, I would refer you to the program. Robbie’s niece Sue McKnight has done a beautiful job outlining Robbie’s accomplishments in this life. From this we gain an appreciation of how truly remarkable Robbie’s life has been. I cannot tell you today all the things about Robbie I hold in my heart, but I will try to summarize her many wonderful qualities. It came to me that I could organize my remarks under three headings: Faith, Family, and Friends. It also came to me that Robbie would want me to talk about a fourth “F”—Food—and that is certainly a thread that runs through every aspect of Robbie’s life. The expression of pure bliss on her face after eating one of Yvonne Nelson’s homemade deviled eggs or a slice of Bobbie Sevy’s chocolate cake is a look I will never forget. When Robbie could no longer get to Mexicatessen restaurant on her own, her good friend Susan Baker made sure that she had her regular fix of the Summertime Special. The many meals that her husband Roy brought to her hospital room helped make the hard days bearable. Well, I could continue with lots of food memories, but let me return to faith for a moment.
We moved to the Champions Ward in 1983. One of our first Sundays at church, the bishop called on one of the young women to come up and report on a recent youth activity. That young woman was Erika, and I was so impressed with her knowledge and understanding and testimony of the Savior that I couldn’t wait to meet the mother who had taught her daughter so well. That was my introduction to Robbie. Within a short time, we were serving together as leaders in the Young Women program. You bond pretty quickly with someone when you spend nights together in a dormitory stairwell, guarding the exit so that none of your Young Women escape to the boys’ dorm. You only needed to speak with Robbie for a few minutes to know of her deep love for the Savior and her devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. She knew that she was placed here in these circumstances because that was Heavenly Father’s plan for her life. Her faith in Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ never wavered. As her life progressed and things happened that we couldn’t understand, Robbie would state simply, “Hey—it’s all part of the plan.” That conviction gave her the courage to accept whatever came her way without complaint.
While in Young Women, Robbie taught the 12- and 13-year-old girls. There was only one girl in that age group at that time. But Robbie put as much effort and preparation into teaching that one girl as she would have had she been teaching thirty students—which she did later as a seminary teacher. How blessed was Carol Young to have that individual attention from Robbie—to personally learn of the Savior from her. How many hundreds more of our young people have had the choice experience of being taught by this woman of perfect faith. The gospel of Jesus Christ was the center of Robbie’s life. Often she would meet someone, learn of their problems, and determine that they just needed the gospel. Missionaries would be called and sent, lives would be changed and blessed, all because of Robbie’s faith.
Robbie didn’t talk about her faith so much as she lived her faith. Have you ever known anyone else who possessed so many Christlike qualities? Robbie was always busy feeding the hungry, nourishing them physically and spiritually. She would notice the one who seemed lonely or tired or discouraged, take them by the hand, and ease their burdens. One time she decided that there were a lot of new people who had moved into the ward who needed fellowshipping, so she asked me to help with an open house in her home. She made that event an annual tradition, inviting everyone in the ward to an open house the day after Thanksgiving. The food she served there made your own Thanksgiving feast seem like a light lunch!
The kindness and gentleness and compassion she showed were just how I imagine the Savior to be. So many people have said to me this week, "Robbie accepted me the way I was, without judgment or criticism." Was that not the same unconditional love Jesus Christ extends to us? She took us as we were, and made us better! We are all different for having known Robbie. Like the Savior, Robbie believed in serving others. She served more people in more ways than anyone I know. I if live to be one hundred and fifty-six, I won’t be able to do all that Robbie did. Once I made the mistake of asking her what she had done that day. She told me about leaving the house before 6:00 AM, picking up a few students on the way to their seminary class (which she taught), then taking those students to school where she stayed to volunteer for a bit, then driving a neighbor on some errands, delivering food to a sick friend, taking care of some cooking and cleaning and laundry at home, helping another friend with her taxes, making phone calls about another volunteer project, feeding her family, going out to make a family history presentation, and finally returning home late to prepare for the next day, when she would start the process all over again. Every day she simply went about doing good. Because she patterned her life after the Savior’s, I always felt closer to Christ when I was with Robbie.
If her faith was Robbie’s foundation, then her family members were the building blocks. Seeing Robbie and Roy together was seeing an eternal marriage in action. Roy was the love of her life. His unselfish devotion to Robbie through every stage of her illness is one of the most beautiful love stories I have ever witnessed. Roy did everything he could to ease her pain and suffering. I know Robbie is trying to do the same thing for Roy right now. Haven’t we felt her beside us all this week, helping us find our way? On my bed I have a pillow that says, “A daughter is just a little girl who grows up to be a friend.” I think that describes Robbie’s relationship with Erika. The miles between them didn’t seem to matter—Erika talked to her mother every day on the phone, and visited as often as she could. Some days Robbie couldn’t tell me much about how she was feeling, but she could always tell me the date that Erika was coming to visit. Knowing Erika was coming made long days easier for her mother. Robbie has been so proud of her son Troy, especially these last years as he has grown from a boy into a young man. Serving a mission fulfilled one of Robbie’s greatest goals for Troy, and she was so happy to see his progress in college. I was there to see the joy Brittni’s birth brought to Robbie. She was excited to see her become this beautiful young woman on her way to adulthood. Robbie worked hard to get all of her children to this point in their lives, and she felt good about the way they were progressing. I know that she will continue to nudge them forward and they will feel her guiding them in their decisions.
Robbie taught me much about being a mother-in-law as she took Harold into her family circle. Her granddaughter Brooke was the light of her life these past few years. This week I have seen so much of Robbie in Brooke. Just as Robbie liked to have everything arranged just so, Brooke tells you exactly how she likes to have things done. Brooke talked to me at length one day, and while I couldn’t understand much of what she was saying, I could tell from her expressions that she was enjoying telling a story as much as Robbie always did. When she threw up her hands and laughed, I knew she had her grandmother’s sense of humor. I am so grateful to know that the things I love about Robbie will live on in her children and grandchildren.
Family extended well beyond her immediate circle. Over the years Robbie took in nieces and nephews and cousins. She treated them all as her sons and daughters. One of Roy’s sisters said that when Robbie came in to their family, she was not a sister-in-law but immediately a sister. Going to Mississippi was always at the top of the list of things Robbie wanted to do. This past May Robbie made one last trip there. She had wanted so much to be there for important family celebrations, and how wonderful that she could give everyone there one more time with her. Just a few short weeks ago Robbie’s niece Sue was inspired to gather family and friends at the hospital to spend an afternoon with Robbie. How much more that special day means to all of us now. One of the pictures taken that day shows Robbie surrounded by her husband, children, and other family members. That picture was by Robbie’s bedside this past week. What a blessing to know that she was surrounded by the love of her family throughout her life.
Friendships were important to Robbie, too. She had the gift of making a friend of everyone she met. She cared deeply about people whether she had known them for years or just a few days. She wanted to hear the details of our lives, from finding out everything about the work that Ani Kraltchev was doing to listening to the wedding plans of one of her physical therapists. She brought sunshine into our lives. How many of us would visit Robbie hoping to cheer and comfort her, only to leave realizing that she was the one who had cheered and comforted us? If we were going through a difficult time, she would encourage us and give us hope. If we needed advice, she would generously share her wisdom and counsel. Over and over this week I have heard people say, "Robbie is the one that was there for me when I needed someone." Even when illness kept her from being with us, Robbie never stopped thinking of each one of us. When I visited her, she always wanted to know how this friend or that one was doing. She never stopped looking for ways she could be of service to her friends. Robbie is one of the greatest friends I have ever had. I am so grateful for her example. When I need courage, I think of Robbie. When I start to complain, I think of Robbie—and stop! When I want to laugh, I think of Robbie telling one of her stories. When I think of enduring to the end, I think of Robbie.
Nina Franklin told us recently of being asked to take over Robbie’s job as Sunday School class president. Her response was, "Oh, no one could ever take Robbie’s place." All of us who have known and loved Robbie feel exactly that same way. Someone like Robbie comes along once in a lifetime, and we are all blessed to have had Robbie in our lives. As difficult as her last weeks were, she continued to bless us by bringing so many people together and strengthening our friendships, not just with her but with one another. She was able to give so many of us one last memory of being with her. Each of us holds a piece of Robbie in our hearts that we will carry with us forever.
Saying goodbye to Robbie is harder than I ever imagined. Yet how grateful I am to know that she is free from pain and suffering, surrounded by all her loved ones who have gone before her. I believe that the first words Robbie heard as she passed through the veil were, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast fought the good fight, thou hast finished thy course, thou hast kept the faith. Enter into the rest of the Lord.” If I can live as she did, having a foundation of faith, loving my family as she loved hers, being a true friend to others as she was to us, then I can retain a hope of that future day when I will enjoy a sweet reunion with her. She completed the work she was sent here to do, and I know she will stay close beside me and each one of us to see that we, too, continue to fulfill our missions on earth. That we may do so as beautifully and joyfully and as gloriously as Robbie did is my prayer today.