Sheila Rutherford Lilly

Sheila Rutherford Lilly passed away Dec. 25, 2023. She was pre-ceded in death by her husband Curtis G. Lilly. She leaves behind her sons, Curt II and Dan, their wives, Sheila and Ginger, 10 grandchildren Amanda Stanfield, Tyler and Ashley Votaw, Rebecca Lilly, Victoria Lilly, Garrett and Roya Lilly, Blake Lilly, Delaney Lilly, Jamie Yates, and 4 great-grandchildren Cynthia. Karen, Hazel, and Sawyer. She grew up in Carson, CA. and became very involved in the Baptist church. She worked at Union Oil at the refinery as a secretary and that's where she met Curt. They married and had two sons. She supported Curt in all of his business ventures and eventually they started Curt's Lock & Key, Inc. She would be an integral part of the business in the first years answering phones, doing all of the accounting, and dispatching calls. She supported Curt in every way possible, all while raising two boys. They valued family time and were sure to spend as much time as possible with them, teaching them, and instilling God's word in their hearts. They made the switch to St. John's Lutheran Church in Orange and attended services regularly. She insisted that her boys also attend the school and instilled her faith in them. The success of the business enabled them to give back to the community. They gave faithfully to St. John's Lutheran Church and St. Jude's Hospital in Fullerton, CA. They also gave to the Cancer Society. She was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and was the last living survivor of one of the first "stem-cell" research trials for breast cancer at St. Joseph's of Orange. Her faith in God enabled her to defeat cancer and live many more years. They also gave to the MS Society, valuing the steps forward in research the society supports. She was a gracious and loving person, devoted to God and her husband. She will be sorely missed but never forgotten.