MERRILLVILLE – Deacon Malcolm A. Lunsford and his wife, Shirley Lunsford, shared their many gifts from God wholeheartedly with the people of the Diocese of Gary, but in the end, their many admirers called them the greatest gift of all.
“They were truly a gift to us. Their lives were well lived,” said Laura Monteen, who worked with the couple as the longtime music director at Ss. Peter and Paul in Merrillville, their home parish until it closed in 2022, and became their friend.
“I was very honored to serve with Deacon Lunsford at the Merrillville parishes,” said Father Ted Mauch, pastor at Our Lady of Consolation and Holy Martyrs. “He had health issues that limited his service in his last years, but I was very happy that he was able to come to Holy Martyrs several times after it was renamed.”
Deacon Lunsford, 88, a lifelong Merrillville resident, died on June 4 after a long illness, and his funeral is scheduled for Saturday, July 20, with a Memorial Mass at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Martyrs Parish (formerly St. Andrew) for he and “his bride of 68 years,” as he called Shirley (Clay) Lunsford, 87, a Gary native who preceded him in death on April 16.
Inurnment will follow at Calumet Park Cemetery in Merrillville, with Geisen Funeral Home in Merrillville handling arrangements. Donations may be given to Holy Martyrs Parish.
“As a young man, Malcolm was a Christian but was not affiliated with any particular church, and neither was Shirley,” recalled Monteen. “When a friend invited Mal to attend Mass with him, he agreed.”
Lunsford continued attending Mass and soon, “he decided to try the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults program and never looked back. He received the full initiation at the Easter Vigil in 1990, and Shirley did the same in 1991,” added Monteen.
Becoming friends with the Ss. Peter and Paul pastor, Lunsford followed Father Dennis Teles’ suggestion that he look into the diaconate program. “Both Mal and Shirley went through the rigorous training and weekend service,” said Monteen, noting that while only Malcolm Lunsford was ordained a permanent deacon in 2000, his wife was fully trained as well.
He was assigned to Ss. Peter and Paul and served there until his ill health made it impossible, long after receiving senior deacon status. He devoted himself very closely to Ss. Peter and Paul, serving with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, as a lector and an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, working on the liturgy committee and parish council, and singing in the Holy Family choir along with his wife.
“Shirley was always by his side, acting as his right hand and approving all of his homilies,” Monteen said. “We jokingly called her ‘deaconess’ because she did the same work as Mal. A truly beautiful woman, she always stepped forward whenever she could.”
Considered the ‘go-to’ guy in the parish, Deacon Lunsford made it his mission to oversee the transformation of the school gym into the parish worship space. A pipefitter and construction supervisor by trade, “He went to the building site every day and knew the right questions to ask,” said Monteen. “He worked well with the architect and builders. We came in on budget and on time in large part due to Deacon Malcolm’s diligence and expertise.”
On the diocesan level, “his love was prison ministry,” said Monteen. “Both he and Shirley went to the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City to visit inmates, and many were brought into the Catholic Church thanks to their love and kindness. I believe that St. Dismas Parish at the prison was established by Bishop Dale Melczek because of the success of this ministry.”
Deacon Mike Prendergast, who coordinates the prison ministry for the diocese and was a diaconate classmate of Deacon Lunsford, agreed. “He got involved in the prison ministry right away and was a perfect example of living his vows,” said Prendergast. “Mal was awesome; he was just a regular guy who brought humanism to the men inside, visiting those on death row. He didn’t throw pretensions at you, he threw his heart at you.
“Sometimes he and Shirley, who always came with him, split up for security reasons, and ended up talking to more men. She kept the men in line like a mother,” added Prendergast.
“I remember when our diaconate class of 11 met at the Bishop Noll Spiritual Life Center, three or four of the wives attended, including Shirley, for every hour of formation – classes and weekends, and on Saturday afternoons the wives met together, then joined the men for discussion and the Eucharist,” he recalled.
A 1955 graduate of Merrillville High School and a pipefitter for 28 years with Local #597, Deacon Lunsford was active in the Knights of Columbus 4th Degree Abraham Lincoln Assembly, McClelland Lodge #357 Orak Shrine Temple, and American Legion Post 430, and was a 32nd degree Mason.
“I first met him as a seminarian when he was in the Serra Club,” said Father Mauch, noting Deacon Lunsford’s devotion to vocations.
“He was the secretary/treasurer of the Serra Club of Northwest Indiana and really kind of held the club together through some challenging times,” said outgoing president Susan Gryfakis. “Deacon Lunsford was very good with the computer and kept members updated on issues as we transitioned to a new home, also finding us meeting places.”
Jack Serletic, longtime Serra Club member, remembers the deacon as “a personable guy, deeply religious, who stood up for his beliefs. He believed strongly in fostering vocations.”
Tim Swan worked with Deacon Lunsford as a Serra Club officer, calling him “the real thing, a hard worker and a man of prayer. His specialty was prison ministry and he related well to the prisoners, and they to him,” Swan said.
The couple are survived by four children, Randy (Linda) Lunsford, Brad (Cheryl Dodson) Lunsford, Deborah (Ricky Matan) Lunsford and Eric (Lisa) Lunsford, eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.