Lula Mae Brown, 91, of Indianapolis passed away on September 30, 2022. Lula was was born in Indianapolis to the late Charles Cecil and Mildred Irene Marie (Johnting)Lambert on December 21, 1930.
Growing up on the Southside of Indianapolis with her seven siblings, Lula's father worked for the railroadallowing the Lambert children to ride the rails for free. During the summer, Lula and three of her siblings would board a train at Union Station in downtown Indianapolis and head to St. Louis. Lula remembered her fatheradmonishing them not to get out of their seats, so she would watch the heartland scenery fly by for entertainment. Once in St. Louis, the foursome was divided between two relatives, one of whom lived in St. Louis and the other in Kansas City where they enjoyedtime with their aunts and uncles.
Receiving her high school education at Emmerich Manual High School in Indianapolis, Lula excelled in shorthand.  Her excellence prompted her teacher to recommend her for a job with an ad agency, Garrison Jasper, Rose & Co, formerly The Studio Press Inc., where she worked her entire lengthy career in various capacities, a rare accomplishment as well as a testament to her loyalty and competence. During her time with the agency, she acquired many skills beginning as a stenographer and ending as the lead administrative assistant. Working in an ad agency presented Lula with opportunities to meet interesting people along with an occasional celebrity. The celebrity that impressed her the most was Elsie, Borden's famous cow - a story she enjoyed retelling.
Lula met Charles Edward Brown at Golden Rule Christian Church in Marion County, Indiana, and were married thereon October 8, 1949. They shared a happy 71 year marriage primarily living on the Southside of Indianapolis. When Charlie met Lula, his life changed. She motivated him to become the man he was who enjoyed a long career with Indiana Bell/AT&T. Lula was the chief strategist and planner for the couple helping them accomplish many of their goals and dreams. Devoted to each other, the pair held hands every evening as they prayed together before the meal.
Together, Lula and Charlie traveled many places in the United States. They were always up for a road trip. Family mattered to Lula and Charlie and being present for family was very important to them. Those road trips were well documented through photographs (always clearly labeledand organized) in albums and through a whimsical magnet collection gathered from the various places Lula visited. Spread out on her refrigerator door, guests loved looking at each unique magnet and hearing the memories that accompanied it.
Many of those trips were taken for family events; distance did not matter. Lula took a great deal of time to select just the right card or gift for the occasion. The effort was always appreciated and their presence added joy and asense of constancy to the event. When their many nieces and nephews were growing up, each one looked forward to the birthday card sent by Lula which always containedtwo crisp one dollar bills - a fortune in the eyes of a child!  The much anticipated card always arrived on time for the birthday because punctuality mattered to Lula.
Lula's devotion to family was displayed in the care and love given to family members. Lula's aunt, Lassie Katie Simmons, was an example of this devotion. When Katiewas no longer able to live on her own, she lived with Lulaand Charlie until she could no longer be cared for in their home; they continued to support Katie lovingly in the nursing facility until her death. Likewise, when Charlie would be gone many weekends or evening helping othersin the family with projects, Lula did not complain about the time he spent away from home making it easier for Charlieto be a good Samaritan.
An excellent homemaker, Lula enjoyed taking care of her home along with other interests. When you visited Lula,you knew there was a good chance you would find her head bent over a challenging jigsaw puzzle trying to find just the right piece. She never met a puzzle she could not put together - even the infamous yellow puzzle. If she wasn't working a puzzle, Lula was likely reading a book and particularly loved Mary Higgins Clark and Nora Roberts mysteries. Additionally, Lula was a voracious card player who played many types of card games and excelled at all of them.
Lula possessed a kind and generous heart for others beyond her family. Her collection of cloth bags and calendars given as a thank you spoke of her numerous and wide ranging donations to a variety of causes. Clearly,her compassion impacted many lives.
In her final years, Lula showed her determination to stay engaged with life, and offers us an example of resilience in the face of multiple losses of loved ones and the gradualloss of herself as she fought through the cruel challenges of dementia.
The last piece of Lula's life puzzle has been placed, and it is a beautiful picture of steadfastness and love that will be remembered and cherished by Lula's family and friends.
Lula is preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and siblings, Ruth Scharbrough, Virgil, William (Bill), James, and Carl Lambert. She is survived by brothers Robert (Sheila) and Albert (Rosemary) Lambert along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation is Saturday, October 22, 2022 starting at 10:30 a.m. EDT at Forest Lawn Funeral Home with the funeral service beginning at noon followed by a graveside service at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens. Donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.