Celebrating the life and legacy of Mrs. Lucy Mae Moore

Sunrise: Jan. 17, 1944    Sunset: July 10, 2023

Val and I attended the homegoing service of Mrs. Lucy Mae Moore on July 22 and what an awesome celebration it was.

Although we never met “Mrs. Lucy,” we consider her part of our extended church family. One of Mrs. Lucy’s three daughters, Solina Smith, is a leader at Voices of Faith. Over the years, we have worked closely with Solina in our roles as church leaders and gotten to know her husband, Archie, and their two sons, Jaylon and Christopher.

Our pastor, Bishop Gary Hawkins, Sr., preached the eulogy, which he entitled “Food for the Soul.” He talked about how Mrs. Lucy recognized God as the bread of life. We learned that Mrs. Lucy cooked as a ministry. She was one of the best cooks in Atlanta, working at several restaurants in the historic West End. Civil rights leaders including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ambassador Andrew Young, Hosea Williams and many others enjoyed Mrs. Lucy’s cooking at those restaurants, frequently returning for the good soul food meals.

In addition to her restaurant work, Mrs. Lucy often cooked Sunday dinner for several pastors and their guest speakers. Kids in the neighborhood often found their way to Mama Lucy’s home, where she fed them and talked to them like her own daughters. She was funny, strict, caring and loving. Cooking soul food wasn’t her only specialty—so were red velvet, lemon and pound cakes.

Hearing the food stories about Mrs. Lucy reminded me of my own mom, the late Josie Mae Summers, who was an excellent cook. My mom cooked for many people outside of her own family in my small hometown, Arcadia, Florida.

Bishop Hawkins said Mrs. Lucy’s passion for cooking was her ministry. It was how she blessed her family, friends and her community.  Even as she lay in transition, Mrs. Lucy was asking the nurses if they wanted something to eat, Bishop Hawkins said. Spiritually, however, she was offering them food for the soul. In her own way, he said, she was offering Christ to them.

Following the homegoing service, we ate homemade cake in honor of Mrs. Lucy. Life is sweeter because of her. Mrs. Lucy, you will be forever in our hearts.