A woman of unwavering faith, Lu spent much of her life as a nurse and an assistant to a missionary friend, Majken Broby. During her lifetime, Lu did mission work in Mexico, Ivory Coast (West Africa), Russia, Ukraine, Sweden, Germany, Canada, Honduras, Guatemala, and Ecuador. She was not only devoted to missions, but began her working career as a surgical technician, later an LPN, and then in her 50’s, she went back to school and became an RN as well. Lu was quick-witted, sassy and sometimes “saucy”, but she had a loving and generous heart, and dedicated her life to serving Jesus, by serving others.
She was also preceded in death by her husband, Charley A. Shanks; a son Michael A. Cook; a grandson Jacob Paul Hale; and a brother Nick Lellos.
She is survived by her children, Eddie (Virginia) Cook of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, Charley A. “Chuck’ (Kat) Shanks of Marysville, Ohio, Brigitte Cook of Owensboro and adopted daughter, Krista Denton of Evansville, Indiana; grandchildren, Isaac Hale, Rebekah Hale and Amanda (Matt) Elliott; great-grandchildren, Ella, Ashton, Jocelyn, Lindy Lu and Silas; and many other extended family members and friends whose lives she touched throughout the years.
Funeral services to celebrate Lu’s life will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 27, 2022 in the chapel at James H. Davis Funeral Home & Crematory with Rev. Joseph Atkins officiating. Burial will follow at Utica Baptist Church Cemetery next to her grandson, Jacob Paul Hale. Visitation is from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday at the funeral home.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to the donor’s choice of home and foreign missions.
The family would like to express their gratefulness for the nurses, aides, chaplain and social worker at Loving Care Hospice – “They walked with our family for two years and loved us well.”