Krestensen, Lucie Maddux McGinnis

4/14/2006

December 3, 1957 - April 14, 2006

Lucie Maddux McGinnis Krestensen was born on December 3, 1957 in Little Rock, Arkansas to the late Roy and Georgia Mae McGinnis. Lucie resided in Little Rock for most of her childhood. Eventually her family moved to Monroe, Louisiana where she graduated from Ridgedale Academy in West Monroe in May, 1976. The same year she went to Louisiana Tech University where she began to study Medical Technology and took part in many of the organizations at Tech. It was during that time, while at Louisiana Tech University, that she met her future husband Jim Krestensen. They married on May 19, 1979 and after receiving a B.S. in Medical Technology (Summa Cum Laude) from Louisiana Tech in May, 1980, they moved to Slidell, Louisiana, where she worked as a Medical Technologist at Pendleton Methodist Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana. While in Slidell, Lucie and Jim joined Aldersgate United Methodist Church. She gave birth to their first daughter Megan Elizabeth on April 18, 1984. Then in 1986, Lucie and Jim moved to West Monroe where she began her career as a Medical Technologist for Glenwood Regional Hospital. It was during this time that they joined the First United Methodist Church in West Monroe. She then gave birth to their second daughter Kari Amanda on March 18, 1988.
Lucie was active in many areas of life, as a wife and a mother, in the church and in the community, from participating in Girl Scouts, Vacation Bible School, as a wacky old lady balloonist named Willa and her side kick Orva, to serving on many committees and in leadership roles within the church. It was not until Lucie attended Cursillo #88 where she felt the call to become a minister. After going to Cursillo, Lucie then became a Lay Leader and was asked to speak at several churches. Feeling the call of God, she then decided to become a Part-time Local Pastor within the United Methodist Church. After going through the process required to become a pastor, Lucie received her license to preach in June 2005. She was then asked to become Associate Pastor at her home church, First United Methodist Church of West Monroe. It is then that she received her first and last church.
Lucie had the passion, love and feeling that were required to be a pastor. She was able to combine her profession as a medical technologist and minister to serve those in the church (in other words combine science with faith). She had the unique ability to express God’s love in her sermons and yes, sometimes as the lady with purple hair and a purple jump suit. While she loved the outdoors and the gifts that God gave us to live on this earth, she also was able to comfort others through her ministry in the church and the lessons she learned through life’s experiences. Lucie had strong faith in God’s faith in God’s love the belief in the power of love.
Lucie was preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Georgia Mae McGinnis; brother, Bill McGinnis and her uncles, Sam McGinnis and Cliff Goodwin. She is survived by her husband of 27 years Jim Krestensen; daughters, Megan and Kari Krestensen; father-in-law, Dr. James G. Krestensen; sister-in-law, Disa Taunton and her husband, Brent; nephew, Travis Taunton; Aunts, Dolly McGinnis, Frances Lee McGinnis, and Ruby Goodwin; Cousins, Rob McGinnis, Clifton Goodwin, Rita Morriss, Jennifer and Beth Goodwin.

Source: Louisiana Conference Journal, 2006