Lucy Johanna Nylund, a longtime resident of Cambridge, Massachusetts, passed away on April 9, 2024. She was born March 9,1938, in Manhattan, New York, to Harry Nylund and Lucille Casey Nylund.  Lucy grew up on Great Neck, Long Island, along with her brothers, Tom and Pierce. She attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree. She returned to NYC and earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work at Columbia University. In 1966, Lucy married Leroy Richard McRae, and a year later they welcomed their daughter, Tanya Sybil McRae. Lucy became a social worker, and was involved in social and civil rights activism, including the Henry Street Settlement, People Against Racism, the Women’s Bail Fund, and fighting for public day care in New York. Lucy and Leroy eventually divorced, and as a working single mother, Lucy embraced the ethos “It takes a village to raise a child.” She created a close-knit support group of friends and other single mothers for Tanya’s village, and they all spent many wonderful summers renting homes on Cape Cod and Fire Island. 

In 1977, Lucy and Tanya moved to Amherst, Massachusetts, where Lucy earned a PhD in Adult Continuing Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Lucy was introduced to Isaac Jack Trompetter by mutual friends, and the couple fell in love and got married in 1982. The family moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Lucy became a Dean of Continuing Education at MassBay Community College, and later at Clark University in Worcester. In 1990, Lucy and Jack decided to combine her love for flowers with Jack’s artistic skills, and they started their own business, Fleurish Flower Design. For 23 years, they created beautiful arrangements for weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, and corporate events around New England. They were well-regarded as floral designers, and Lucy was featured on the cover of The Boston Globe magazine. She was also given a commendation by the U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Thomas Simons, Jr., for work she did at the embassy there. Lucy and Jack enjoyed traveling during the cold New England winters to St. Maarten, Hawaii, Mexico, Amsterdam, and visiting Tanya in Los Angeles. Lucy greatly appreciated arts and culture, and loved going to the theater, museums and local festivals.

Lucy died due to issues related to Alzheimer’s disease.  She will live on in the hearts of Tanya and Jack; her niece, Michelle Nylund Kinne; nephews, Josh and Brandon Kinne; niece, Hannah Kinne; stepdaughter, Deanna McRae King; and many dear friends. Lucy was a woman of valor. She was known by her family and friends for her kindness, intelligence, empathy, and insightfulness. May her memory be a blessing for us all.