Lucy Alexander Freeman Modrak, age 85, was given the gift of life on June 26, 1933, and surrounded by her loving husband, Joe, and family peacefully passed on Ash Wednesday, March 6, 2019, at Adler Hospice Center in Aldie, Virginia. Lucy (aka Rocky) gave the fight of her life till her last breath after triumphing over a 17-year period with three cancers and COPD. Lucy was determined to be alive for the next wedding, birth, holiday and celebration.
Lucy Alexander Freeman was born in Augusta, Georgia. She was "Little Lucy" to her parents, Lucy Alexander Baxter and Colonel Hayden Breeze Freeman. She was the youngest of three and became a devout vegetarian and animal activist after being told at age 3 by her siblings that she was eating her friend the cow and chicken. Lucy's father was in the Marine Corps and she went to 17 grade schools and five high schools graduating from St. Genevieve of the Pines High School in Ashville, North Carolina.
Lucy was a direct descendent of Pocahontas and John Rolf on her mother's side and came from a family of English royalty and educators on her father’s side. Lucy went to George Washington University where she met her first husband, John Thomas Skelly, who was the father of her seven children. Lucy gave up being a fashion and cartoon illustrator to take care of her children. She loved Christmas with family and traveling to Europe, the islands, California and up and down the Eastern Seaboard from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to Warren, Vermont, her favorite summer vacation home.
She is forever cherished by her husband of 44 years, Joe Modrak; her children, Annee Hayden Martin (David), Carmel, CA, John Thomas Skelly Jr., Gainesville, VA, Elizabeth Frances Skelly-Borgman, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Patricia Grove Skelly, Waitsfield, Christopher Martin Skelly, Warren, Lucy Rita Maranda Brown (Charlie), Warren, Judith Modrak (Mark), NY, NY, and Joe Modrak Jr. (Geneva), Rochester, NY; her 16 grandchildren, Andrew, Thor, Patrick (Rachel), Benjamin, Jamee, Eric, Maggie (Hunter), Jessee (Lauren), Louie, Colette, Max, Mariesa (Dan), Jonathan, Marah, Gretchen and Missy; and eight great-grandchildren, Lily, Dagny, Ava, Hayden, Trevor, Alyssa, Maya, Evan(Gretchen) as well as Biko and Emi (Marah) and Gabe (Missy).
She is also cherished by ex-spouses, Cecelia, Maria, Luc Don and Doug; and her sister-in-law, Mickey (Dean Freeman). She has many nephews and nieces from the Freeman family, Mike, Steve, Chris, Phillip and Jan (her godchild). She is cherished by her sister-in-law, Nancy Modrak, all of the Modrak family and her beloved therapy dog, Gracee Blossom Joy.
She was predeceased by her parents, Nanny and Breeze; her son, Joe Louis Skelly; her brother, Dean Freeman; and her sister, Ann Freeman.
Lucy donated her body to medical research at Georgetown. Her ashes will be sprinkled at Blueberry Lake and the Mad River by her son Joe Louis and in Gainesville near her dog Willow. A private celebration of life will be held on April 19, 2019, at a Virginia winery.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Humane Rescue Alliance – District of Columbia Animal Care and Control, 1201 New York Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20002, or at www.humanerescuealliance.org.
