Her family lived on numerous farms in the La Crosse, Monroe, and Juneau country areas when she was growing up. She met her future husband when her family was living near Wilton. She worked for several families as a hired girl while attending high school. Her favorite place to work was for Dr. and Mrs. Foley and family in Wilton. They treated her with great kindness, and years later, he delivered her children. She graduated from Wilton High School in 1935. On June 23, 1937, she was united in marriage to Gerald Patrick O'Gara in Norwalk, Wis. They lived and farmed on the O'Gara homestead, near Wilton, until 1990 when they retired and moved to Wilton.

As a farm wife Lucille worked in the fields, milked cows, had a huge garden, canned and cooked, and loved her flowers. She was very talented at word games, and especially enjoyed Wheel of Fortune. She had beautiful penmanship and loved sending greeting cards to family and friends near and far. In fact she was known as the "Card Lady." She was best known for her wonderful cooking. Unexpected company would arrive, and she could get a great meal together in no time, and make it seem easy. No one ever left Lucille's home hungry.

She was in Homemakers for more than 50 years. First with the Slabtown Club and later with the Black Valley Club.

She was a devoted and faithful member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church of Wilton all her married life. She was a member of the Alter Society/PCCW. She worked at untold number of church dinners and funeral lunches.

Our Mother came from a very large, loving, close-knit family. As a consequence, our lives were filled with a steady stream of family gatherings of all kinds. We had a wonderful, loving childhood because of her. Our Dad was the rock, but Mom was the glue. Her life was one of total selfless, sacrifice, love and devotion to her family. Giving of herself brought her joy. We will do our best to honor her by living up to the legacy of love she has given us.

She is survived by her five children and their descendants.
Son, Gerald "Dick" (Carolyn) O'Gara of New Richmond, Wis. and their three children and two grandchildren, Jerry (Trina) O'Gara, Aliyah and Aidan of Madison, Tracy O'Gara (fiancé Todd Weibel) of Norwalk, and Heather O'Gara of New Richmond, Wis.; daughter, Sharon (Joseph) Degenhardt of Tomah, Wis. and their six children and seven grandchildren, Michael Degenhardt, Alex and Leah of Tomah, Wis., Timothy (Edie) Degenhardt of Onalaska, Wis., Joseph Degenhardt of Tomah; Nancy (Michael) Laliberte, Ryan Riebe and Erika Riebe and Nickolas Laliberte of Wausau, Wis., Thomas Degenhardt of Tomah, and Debra (John) Bohachevsky, Adam and Luke of Bloomfield, Ky.; son, Roger O'Gara of Bartlett, Ill.; daughter, Mary Hampel (friend Jack Mueller) of Winona, Minn.; and her three children, James, Shannon and Benjamin Hampel, all of Winona; daughter, Kathryn O'Gara of Wilton and her two children and two grandchildren, Emily Michel Bell, Jenna and Dylan of Wonewoc, Wis. and Shane Michel of Tomah.

She is further survived by one sister, Shirley (Hilbert) Kuderer; three brothers, Robert, Norman and Clayton (Marion) Hansen; one sister-in-law, Mary O'Gara; numerous nieces, nephews, family and friends; former daughter-in-law, Kathy O'Gara; and former sons-in-law, Bill Hampel and Sam Michel.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1998; her parents; her brother, Charles Hansen; and an infant brother, Le Roy; six sisters and four of their husbands, Georgina Statter, Freda (Emmet) Doyle, Beverly (George) Tatnall, Mayme (John) Schaub, Elizabeth Goetz, Caroline (Louis) Schaub; sister-in-law, Berniece Hansen, sister-in-law, Isabelle Hansen, sisters and brothers-in-law, Edmond (Edna) O'Gara, Esther (Fay) Mc Cracken, Agnes Brown, and Francis O'Gara.

Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Wilton. Reverend Brian D. Konopa will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Relatives and friends are invited to call from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Smith-Nelson Funeral Home in Wilton and from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass on Saturday at the church. A prayer service will be held at 7:45 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Jerry O'Gara, Mike, Tim, Joe, and Tom Degenhardt, Jamie and Ben Hampel, and Shane Michel.