Dec.1, 1941 – July 26, 2022
The family of Lucy Ann Castro, 80, are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of their wife, mother, and grandmother on July 26, 2022.  Lucy was born in Basile, La.; the third  child of Lindsey and Lovinia Clophus.  Lucy spent her childhood in Eunice, La., attending St. Mathilda Elementary School and Charles Drew High School.  At Charles Drew, she was a varsity basketball player.  She attended Grambling College and later received a diploma in Business Administration from SOWELA Technical College in Lake Charles, La.
Lucy married her first husband, Gladwin Ball in the early 1960s.  Being a part of the Ball family, Lucy was instrumental in the opening of Ball’s Fried Chicken restaurants across the country, had the opportunity to meet many great musical artists who played to large crowds at Ball’s Auditorium, such as Duke Ellington, Little Richard, Ike and Tina Turner, and along with her sister in-law, Brenda Ball, and mother in-law, Evelyn Ball, operated the largest charity bingo events in Lake Charles’ history, which drew thousands of people.
In 1987, Lucy and her daughters moved to Berkeley, Calif., where she became a member of St. Columba Parish.  Lucy was fully involved in the church through her work as an office volunteer, a member of the Women’s Group, and the Knights of Peter Claver (KPC) Ladies Auxiliary, and served as a Eucharistic Minister, bringing communion to homebound parishioners.
Lucy married her second husband, Douglas Castro, on June 16, 1989, where they later made their home in Albany, Calif.; and for five years, they owned and operated Lucy’s Creole Kitchen in Downtown Oakland, Calif.  It was a life filled with hard work, family, a kind heart and a caring spirit, faith in God, great friendships, Cosmopolitans (her favorite drink), and Zydeco music and dancing.
Lucy was preceded in death by her parents, Lindsey and Lovinia Clophus; her sisters, Frances Clophus, Theresa Johnson, Rita Bell and Eva Brignac; and her beloved grandson, Aaron Permillion.
Lucy’s love and memories will remain in the hearts of her husband of 33 years, Douglas Castro; her daughters, Angela Ball Levine (Arthur) of Pinole, Calif., Karen Permillion of Albany, and Tracy Jolivette (Gregory) of Salem, Ore.; her sister, Catherine Clophus of Eunice, and her brother, Bishop Johnny Clophus, Sr. (Georgia) of Sulphur, La.; her two grandsons, Michael Permillion II of Albany, and Malik Drumright of Oakland; four granddaughters, Lucy, MaKayla, Olivia, and Kamilla Jolivette of Salem; three great-grandsons, Michael III, Marcus, and Mavryk Permillion; and one great-granddaughter, Na’imah Permillion.  In addition, she leaves a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and close friends.
A celebration of Lucy’s life will be held at St. Columba Catholic Church, Oakland, on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022, beginning at 10:30 a.m. (PST) with a rosary and ritual ceremony by the KPC Ladies Auxiliary followed by a memorial Mass at 11 a.m. (PST).
Links to view the memorial Mass live will be available on the St. Columba Catholic Church website. Flowers may be delivered the day of the service to St. Columba Catholic Church, located at 6401 San Pablo Ave, Oakland, CA 94608.