Lucille Woodring

Lucille Amelia Woodring, age 87, passed away on June 14, 2025, in Escondido, California. A celebration of Lucille’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 2, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Escondido, California.

Born on October 20, 1937, Lucille Poehler was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church near Shelton, where she was later confirmed in 1951. She graduated as valedictorian of Shelton High School in 1955 and continued her studies at Nebraska State Teachers College at Kearney. Lucille built a strong and steady career beginning as a bookkeeper and later working in the fabric and notions department at J.M. McDonald’s in Holdrege. She found her professional home at Becton Dickinson in Holdrege, where she worked diligently for 28 years before retiring in 1998 and relocating to Escondido, California.

A devoted mother and resourceful provider, Lucille raised her family with determination and grace. Lucille’s creativity shone through in her many crafts — ceramics, candles, holiday decorations — and she was a talented seamstress who lovingly made ballet costumes, and confirmation and holiday dresses for her daughters. An adventurous traveler, she visited an astounding 47 countries over the course of her life.

While she lived in California the final 27 years of her life, Lucille remained a proud Nebraskan. She was a lifelong Husker fan and stayed involved in the Poehler family farms.

She was a faithful member of several Missouri Synod Lutheran congregations over the years: Zion Lutheran Church near Shelton; Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Holdrege; and most recently Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Escondido, California.

She is survived by her daughters, Valerie Woodring, of Anchorage, Alaska, and Alisa Woodring and her partner Steven Hunte, of Castro Valley, California; her grandson, Benjamin Woodring and grandchildren, Marlie, Aarsyn, and Aryonna, of Anchorage, Alaska; brother, Gerald Poehler and his wife Patricia, of Shelton; seven nieces and nephews; sixteen great-nieces and nephews; thirteen great-grandnieces and nephews; and two granddogs, Moose, of Anchorage, Alaska, and Archie of Castro Valley, California.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Candace Annette in infancy; her parents Freda (Ahrens) and Henry Poehler; Gary Woodring, father of Candace, Valerie, and Alisa; and her sister and brother-in-law, Eileen and Randy Kruse.

Her legacy as a hardworking, intelligent, and independent woman and a loving mother continues to inspire all who knew her.