Lula Mae Council

Lula M. Council, 89, of Aurora Colorado died on November 13, 2022, at University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, Colorado. Lula was born August 20, 1933 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the daughter of Leonard and Marie Robinson.

Lula was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Growing up, her nickname was "Miss Nice Nasty" because in her own words, "My mother gave me this name because she said I was too clean and too fussy about everything." Her responsibilities as a child were to keep the house clean, help with washing clothes, dishes and defrosting the fridge. She enjoyed cleaning the house because she was picky, and her mother taught her the right way to clean. She also had a penchant for yard work like pulling or raking weeds, planting flowers, and trimming bushes. Lula was a loner and her favorite thing to do was to roller skate. When she was twelve years old her mother gave her a pair of skates for Christmas that cost $2.99. When she found the skates on Christmas morning, she wanted to skate right away, but her mother told her she had to eat breakfast first before skating. She used to skate up and down steep hills all around town. She said, "I can't believe I did that." Her first job was babysitting, and she was paid $0.40 per hour.

Earlier in her twelfth year Lula moved into her future husband's neighborhood where she met him. She said, "I didn't like him at all because he was a stinker. He pulled my braids. He liked me. I never took time out to talk to him. He did everything to get my attention. Once he shot me in the rear with a BB gun because I patted my rear at him." Eventually, Leon enlisted in the Air Force and when he came home for a visit Lula noticed that he had grown up. This is when Lula and Leon began dating. He had everything she looked for in a man. He was always neat, intelligent, loving and kind. After returning to his duty station, he wrote to her every day, proposed to her in one of the letters, asked for her ring size in another and bought her a ring for $101.00. They went to the Justice of the Peace, paid $5.00 and were wed in Rossville, Georgia on April 5, 1952. They were blessed with three children: David, Vicki and Deana. Leon described her as, "A good mother and nurturing to children. The thing I love best about Lula is the fact that she continues to mother our children and that she is genuinely concerned about them as they have grown older." They were happily married for 69 years until Leon's death on December 20, 2021.

Lula held a few jobs during her life. She worked as a crossing guard and in line assembly at three different factories. She was also a Sunday school teacher who loved taking care of children.

One of Lula's favorite pastimes was playing and competing at tennis events. When she was 49 years old, she took tennis lessons, joined a team and became the #1 singles player in her league. She traveled around the country competing in tournaments. Another one of her hobbies was ballroom dancing. Lula and Leon traveled, performed at several nursing homes and became ballroom dance instructors. She also enjoyed sewing, cake decorating and made David's wedding cake. Surprisingly, except to all who knew her, she enjoyed cleaning. Her toilet was so clean that you could eat off it!

Lula was a prayer warrior for many people. She came to believe in the power of prayer! Lula said, "My early prayers were wonderful because my mother taught me to pray each night." I prayed, "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen." In school, Lula took a bible class that required her to learn a new bible verse every Monday morning. Early in life, she relates that she would only pray when she needed something badly. She recalled one instance of that type of prayer when God healed her ailing mother. In 1975 she was involved in a factory accident that left her with 122 stitches in her right arm and hand. Doctors believed she would never be able to use her right arm and hand again. During this time, the Blessed Mother asked her to pray the Rosary every day. In addition to praying the Rosary daily she also prayed nightly prayer. With prayer and physical therapy, she was healed and regained the use of her right arm and hand. It wasn't until this experience in her life that she learned to pray every day, embrace the power of prayer and love the Lord more.

In 1981 Lula went on a spiritual pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Yugoslavia. She met a priest there named Fr. Jozo who helped lead her to the Blessed Mother and thus closer to Jesus. The Blessed Mother spoke to her heart saying, "Pray, pray, pray to my son always." It was here that she heard God's calling for her life. God called her to be a beacon of forgiveness, humble, kind, loving and zealous in prayer for all souls in the world to come to God. She told everyone about God. Many came to her and asked for her to pray for them. Lula said, "My spiritual strength is prayer. Without prayer I can't get through the day."

Lula said that the spiritual legacy she wanted to leave for others is, "Trust in Jesus always, pray for everything you need and want, wait on the Lord, and let His will be done. He always answers prayers. It is very important to believe in order to let go and let God." Her favorite Bible passage was Psalm 23: "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want … Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil, for you are at my side." She said, "This psalm has taught me so much. I feel the presence of God with me always. I know and believe in my heart that He is always with me." Lula was a member of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Aurora, Colorado.

Lula leaves us with these words, "I am most proud of my family. I have learned in life that it is not so important to have material things. Give and do not expect something in return. Listen to others and don't only be concerned about yourself. Anger will get you into trouble, so think before you speak. Love others even if they don't love you in return. Nothing is ever so bad that it can't be worked out. Quiet time is so important. Always keep God first in your life!"

Lula was preceded in death by her mother, father, husband, Leon Arthur Council, sisters Helen Robinson, Loreen Richardson and Velva Robinson. She is also survived by siblings Dean Toney, Margaret Orr, Juanita Turner, and Edna Bragg of Chattanooga, Tennessee; Loretta Hawkins of Atlanta, Georgia; and Leonard Robinson of Los Angeles, California; her son, David Council, of Denver Colorado; her daughters, Vicki Council, of Denver Colorado; and Deana Domsten (married to Toby Domsten), of Aurora Colorado; her grandchildren: Sarah Love of Champaign, Illinois; Kyriaki Council (married to Jack Falk) of Denver, Colorado; Lula Bess (married to Kevin Bess) of Aurora, Colorado; Leon Council II of Aurora, Colorado; Taylor Domsten (married to Jake Tarnoff) of Aurora, Colorado; Lindsey Domsten of Aurora, Colorado; and Marisol Council of Denver, Colorado.

Visitation is scheduled from 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm on December 8, 2022 with Rosary for 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm at Newcomer Funeral Home located at 190 Potomac Street Aurora Colorado 80011. Rosary will be livestreamed. Click Here to view the Rosary.

An overnight vigil after the Rosary is scheduled from 9:30 pm - 9:00 am on December 8, 2022 at Queen Of Peace Catholic Church located at 13120 E Kentucky Ave, Aurora, CO 80012

Funeral Mass is scheduled 10:00 am - 11:30 am on December 9th at Queen Of Peace Catholic Church located at 13120 E Kentucky Ave, Aurora, CO 80012. Mass will be live streamed. Click Here to view the Mass.

Reception following the mass 11:30 am - 2:00 pm at Loyola Hall room 100
13101 E Mississippi Avenue
Aurora Colorado 80012 (one block from the church)

Committal service is scheduled starting at 10:00 am on Monday December 12th at Fort Logan National Cemetery 3698 S. Sheridan Blvd Denver, CO 80235 Funeral Entrance Staging Area A. Please arrive 15 minutes beforehand if attending.