Obituary of Lucilla La Voy

Lucilla Carmichael La Voy was born in Richmond, Virginia on May 15, 1925 and died on April 11, 2016 in Palm Beach, Florida. Mrs. La Voy lived most of her early years in Westfield, New Jersey. Later, she lived in New York City, Montclair and Bay Head, New Jersey and Palm Beach, Florida. She graduated from Kent Place School in Summit, New Jersey, then attended Smith College and the Julliard School. Following the death of her first husband Hanson Lee Ely, she met Kenneth R. La Voy, Jr. a New York attorney. They were married at All Saints Church in Bay Head on August 15, 1970 and lived in Montclair. Her son, Robert Lee Ely, great-grandson of Gen. Robert E. Lee, graduated from The Choate School and Harvard University. He was in his last year of Harvard Medical School when he died in a swimming accident in Gabon, Africa. Mrs. La Voy was an active member of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America and a devoted supporter of Kenmore Plantation in Fredericksburg, Virginia. She was also a member of The Colony Club in New York and The Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach, FL. Additional memberships included The Montclair Golf Club, Bay Head Yacht Club, as well as The Everglades Club and Beach Club, both in Palm Beach Florida. She was active in St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Montclair, All Saints Episcopal Church in Bay Head, and the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach. Mrs. La Voy is pre-deceased by her son, her mother Maria Adkins Carmichael and her father George Carmichael. She is survived by her husband of 45 years Kenneth R. La Voy, Jr., step-daughters Lorraine La Voy O'Neill, Alison G. La Voy, MD, and Anne La Voy Guerra, as well as her god-daughter Mary Boney Clark. Her family also includes 5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.