Lucille "Lou" Frances Ackerman

Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians (5:16-18) urges us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”. Lucille Frances “Lou” Flanagan Ackerman implored the Lord in this way until she left this life to meet her Savior and reconnect with her husband Ray and many other beloved family members and friends on August 23, 2025. Lou was born in Oklahoma City on September 3rd, 1927, daughter of the late George Smarr Flanagan and Kathleen Bradley Flanagan, the middle child of seven. She graduated from Classen High School and attended Rosary College in Chicago. Her summers were spent working as a lifeguard at Oklahoma City Municipal Pools.

Her dream of becoming a professional artist began as a child studying under Oklahoma City’s own Nan Sheets. Lou’s plan to enroll in the Chicago Art Institute in 1947 and pursue an art career was interrupted for 20 years by her marriage in 1948 to Raymond B. Ackerman and the seven children who followed. Beginning when the last child entered the first grade, she resumed her art career, studying under Joan McCrary Marron LaRue, Marilyn Bendell, Daniel Gerhartz, David Lessel and William Reese.

Lou’s oils and watercolors grace many homes in Oklahoma City; she rarely turned down a request for the contribution of one of her paintings for a charity auction, or a bare wall in a non-profit facility such as Oklahoma City University, St. Anthony Hospital and St. Ann’s Retirement Home. From 1975 to 1995, she contributed her time and talent weekly to teach painting to senior women at the Salvation Army Facility in Western Oaks Christian Church. Lou was a regular for many years at the Oklahoma Festival of the Arts and showed at various art shows around Oklahoma City including Norman Wilkes Art Gallery, and the “Art with a Heart” event benefitting Oklahoma Children’s Hospital. Over the last few years, Lou attended art classes at the Will Rogers Senior Center with daughters, Amy and Susie who would tell you, “Mother was, by far, the most accomplished student in the group! And newcomers to the class, would see Mother’s work and exclaim, “This is beginning painting?!?” Lou would humbly say, “Oh, I can always continue to learn and improve!” Perhaps her greatest artistic honor came in 2023, when her beautiful rendition of the young Virgin Mary was chosen as the main reflection piece for the women’s Christ the King’s ACTS spiritual retreat.

In 2004, Lou and Ray were selected by the Oklahoma Health Center Foundation as Oklahoma “Living Treasures for Tomorrow”. And, in 2008, Lou was the Grand Marshall for Catholic Charities annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Oklahoma City. Following the parade that evening, she received the honor of being named the Ambassador at the Catholic Charities Green Tie Gala, a fundraiser benefitting the Women’s Sanctuary Center. Her son, the Reverend Ray Ackerman, said of his mother as she humbly accepted these honors, “She always bloomed with a delightful and understated elegance!”

Lou’s husband Ray was founder of Ackerman McQueen advertising agency and a retired Rear Admiral in the Navy. He was a member of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and the subject of a biography, “Old Man River”, by Bob Burke and Joan Gilmore. Ray said, “No one would have ever heard of me if it hadn’t been for my wife; without her support and encouragement I never would have done anything.”

After Ray’s retirement, Lou and Ray found time to travel. Often, Lou’s paintings would reflect the beauty of a recent trip to Italy, Greece and Portugal to name a few. Later in life, they traveled a little closer to home visiting daughter Patsy & husband Mike Mehring when they lived in Redmond, Washington, and daughter Annie and husband Ron Adams in Dallas, Texas. Her “in town” children, Father Ray, Susie and Doug, Mark and Deanna, Amy and any grandchildren who were available were always welcome guests for every holiday and many other family gatherings. Lou and Ray also enjoyed dancing to many of their favorite big band tunes, playing bridge and getting together with their dinner club. Lou was an avid reader, and other hobbies included sewing, bike rides (especially when the family lived on the lake), and daily walks.

Lou and Ray were active members of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church where all their children attended grade school. They then became members of St. Eugene Catholic Church when they moved from their house on the lake in northwest Oklahoma City to Val Verde. Lou was very devout in her faith and enjoyed attending daily Mass at the Mercy Hospital Chapel where her aunt, Sister Andrea Flanagan, one of the “Sisters of Mercy”, worked and lived. She also was active in the St. Marcellin Catholic Women’s Study Club, a group devoted to continually growing in faith and supporting those in need in the community.

For the last 5 years, Lou spent much of her time getting together with her family for weekly visits, brunch, dinners and attending Sunday Mass. She also enjoyed getting her hair done by her longtime friend and hairdresser Robert Lintner and visiting with and helping another longtime friend Kae Bullar keep her home in order. Other favorite activities were long drives with her very attentive and loving caregivers, Liz Taylor and daughter, Kim and assisting them with cooking, gardening and household chores. The family owes much gratitude to Liz Taylor who took the best care of our dear Mother for the past 5 years and always treated her as her own with love, grace and dignity…

Lou was preceded in death by her parents George and Kathleen Flanagan, husband Ray, infant daughter Beth, sisters Virginia Koppel and husband Dave, Patricia Rockwood and husband Charlie, Kathleen Wasinger and husband Al, her brothers, George Smarr Flanagan and wife Diane and Stan Flanagan and wife Mary. She is also preceded in death by in laws, Mary Frances and Bill Veeck, Kit and Bill Winkler and Marjorie and Karl Ackerman. Lou is survived by her brother Tom Flanagan and wife Shirley; son Reverend Raymond K. Ackerman of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City; daughter and husband Patricia Ann and Mike Mehring of Leander, Texas; grandson Jason Conley, wife Jenifer and great grandchildren Trent and Mallory Conley of Lakewood Ranch, Florida; daughter and husband Ann Carol and Ron Adams of Dallas, Texas; granddaughter Elizabeth Veronica “Evie” Adams and husband Ryan Tucker of Menlo Park, California; daughter and husband Susan Marie and Doug Fuller of Oklahoma City; grandson Alexander Douglas Fuller and fiancé Kathleen Maloney of Oklahoma City; granddaughter Alyssa “Lissy” Marie and husband Travis Renna of Dallas, Texas; son and wife Mark and Deanna Ackerman of Oklahoma City, grandson and wife Raymond Bryan and Natali Ackerman and great grandson Raymond John Ackerman of Oklahoma City; granddaughter Samantha Riley Ackerman and fiancé Chris Cash of Oklahoma City, and daughter Amy Lucille Ackerman of Oklahoma City and grandchildren Sophie Elizabeth and husband Brian King of Tulsa, Lucy Bernadette Shaver, Henry Maximillian Shaver and friend Katie Zimmerman of Denver, Colorado, Annie Clare Shaver and Lily Therese Shaver of Oklahoma City and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Eugene Catholic Church on Monday, September 8th, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. with a reception afterward in the parish hall. Interment will be at Resurrection Memorial Cemetery after the reception. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the building of the new St. Eugene Child Education and Development Center.