Lucille Loveless Harris

1922 - 2020

Ellicottville - Lucille J. Harris "Mrs. Poole" , 97, of Ellicottville, passed away Saturday (Feb. 22, 2020) at the Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home.

She was born on Dec. 18, 1922, in Ellicottville, daughter of the late Theodore and Anna Pascucci Loveless.

She was a remarkable woman of firsts: the first generation born to Italian immigrant parents; the first in her family to go to college where she graduated from Buffalo State; started and operated the first school cafeteria at Ellicottville Central School; and the first woman to serve on the Ellicottville Town Board. She had also taught Home Economics at Ellicottville Central for many years, where she was known as "Mrs. Poole."

Lucille was a longtime member and treasurer of the Ellicottville Historical Society, and taught 55 Alive Defensive Driving to local senior citizens, with her late second husband, Clare Harris. She also enjoyed traveling, and had connected with distant relatives in visits to Italy, as well as chaperoned a school trip to Mexico, where she met John Wayne.

Lucille was never one to sit still, and loved staying active as well as enjoying sewing, baking, and being a member of the Holy Name of Mary RC Church in Ellicottville.

She is survived by two sons, Arthur (Ann) Poole of Little Valley and Robert (Gina) Poole of Ellicottville; a sister, Mary (Merle) Darnell of Freeport, Texas; four grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; several great-great grandchildren; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents, she is predeceased by her first husband, Arthur Poole; second husband, Clare Harris; and two daughters, Lisa Bell and Susan "Tinker" Feldman; a brother, William "Bill" Loveless; and two sisters, Irene Brennan and Patricia Mercer.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 25, 2020) from Mentley Funeral Home Inc., 411 Rock City St., in Little Valley.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday (Feb. 26, 2020) from the funeral home.

Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, in Ellicottville.

Memorials may be made to the Ellicottville Historical Society.