Luella M. Erwin

Luella Mae Erwin moved on to her next adventure on July 6, 2013. Born on December 3, 1932 in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, Lu died in Weymouth with her four well-loved children by her side. Lu was a spirit unto herself, forging a path in this world that few others would have navigated so successfully. 

She is survived by her children Mary S. Erwin, Ann E. Erwin, John E. Erwin and Patricia E. Erwin, her daughter-in-law Denise Erwin, and her son-in-laws Andy Hull and Andy Hoffman. Along with her grandchildren Kelsey, Craig and David Erwin, and step-grandchildren Brendan, Naomi, and Alec Hoffman. 

Lu grew up on the verdant plains of Wisconsin, to Herman and Birdie Rosenbaum. She would arise each morning to the call of her father up the stairs, “Lula Belle time to wake up!” Off she would run to milk cows before heading to her one room schoolhouse. At night, she would trail her beloved grandmother, Lona, outside to try and cajole her way into helping grandma protect the family’s turkeys. Her milking duties became less so after another six children were born to her parents. She is survived by her remaining siblings Fred Rosenbaum, Trudy Arrington, Francis Rosenbaum, Judie Moyer, Joe Rosenbaum and Pat Rosenbaum and many nieces and nephews. Her eldest sister Alyce Arnold preceded her in death.

Lu loved Wisconsin, but fell for a man in uniform and eventually ended up in Massachusetts. In a small ranch house in Weymouth, she raised four children to take on the world. She worked for more than three decades at the Hingham Courthouse, regaling her family and friends with tales of probationers, judges and lawyers.

Studying the stars was one of Lu’s passions and she was much sought after for her astrological charts. Back in the 70s, she would sit at her desk, chain smoking cigarettes and writing profound and lengthy charts for those who had found her wisdom. Her green thumb transformed the rocky New England soil first into a beautiful vegetable garden, where tomatoes off the vine would lure you into her kitchen. Over the last several years, her house became surrounded by flowers, trees and bushes the likes of which Weymouth had rarely seen. Lu was an avid history buff, and once her curiosity was piqued about a particular moment in time, her house soon filled up with books on the subject. 

No story of Lu would be complete without talking about the vast and varied network of friends that moved through her life. Her phone was rarely on the hook, perhaps only when she was out dancing, listening to music, engaging in a protest or some other wide variety of activities. 

She wished that she could have sky-dived, but had to settle for exploring the world by plane – going to Austria, England, France and Egypt all after she retired. It was the latter trip that truly tickled her adventure bug. It was a lifelong dream to sit atop a camel and channel her inner Lawrence of Arabia. 

Words are not enough to express how much all of her family and friends will miss Lu. We are certain she will make her next adventure as memorable as this one has been.

A memorial visitation will be held for Lu on Saturday, August 10th at McDonald-Keohane Funeral Home at 40 Sea Street, North Weymouth, MA from 12-2 pm. A funeral service will follow in the funeral home at 2 pm.  

Donations in memory of Luella may be made to the Glastonbury Abbey, 16 Hull Street, Hingham, Ma 02043.