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Tucson praying for the mysterious and shy "Umbrella Lady" today.

Blunderbuss Firozabad

Blunderbuss Firozabad

Made of Pumpkin pie
Screenshot_20230105_152203.jpg

" A woman was seriously injured in a crash involving a pedestrian near Oracle and Ina on Thursday, Jan. 5.

The woman was taken to a hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said the woman is known in the area as the “Umbrella Lady.”"


*************************************************************

The woman known fondly to most Tusconites for the last 35 plus years as the
"Umbrella Lady" has walked over 12 miles (at least) round trip DAILY from her abode north of Tucson to the Evergreen Cemetery down then back up Oracle Avenue.
She is elderly now, and is known for her old-fashioned, Sunday-best clothing, and parasol to shield herself on her long daily journey, rain or 115° weather, seldom accepting offers of rides.
She is shy, and goes quietly about her task.
Over the decades, she has occasionally offered an explanation to these friendly drivers as to her purpose.
Her name is Lydia, and many, many years ago she was the operator of a motor vehicle that was in a terrible accident. Her husband and child were passengers and died.
They are buried at Evergreen Cemetery, and she walks in her prettiest dresses, her cheeks rouged, to visit their graves every single day.
She swore she would never get behind the wheel of a car again, won't take the bus, and as a woman now in her late 70s, 80s only accepts rides when the weather is severe, or the fatigue too much.
She keeps her own counsel, but one driver shared years ago her parting thank you was accompanied by the wish the driver's young daughters would go to college when they grew up.

Oracle is my cross street, so I saw her frequently, silently performing this act of devotion.

Please keep Lydia, the "Umbrella Lady" in your thoughts today.

Collage_20230105_154711.webp



www.kold.com

UPDATE: Document sheds light on death of Tucson’s “Umbrella Lady”

Lydia Reis, affectionately known as the “Umbrella Lady” by many in Tucson, died from her injuries on Jan. 8.
www.kold.com www.kold.com
 
this poor lady lived in guilt and punished herself for the best part of her life... she has suffered enough and i feel that she would find dieing due to a car accident a fit end for herself... i am of two minds about what happens to her .. in a way i hope she lives but in another way i feel she has suffered enough for two lifetimes .... either way safe journey "home" .... earthly one or where ever souls (our spirits) go at the end of our earthly journey..
 
Lydia Reid, the "umbrella lady" died on Sunday from her injuries caused by the hit and run driver who has since been arrested.

"Unless you're from Tucson, it's impossible to explain how devastating this is to the community. Umbrella lady was an absolute legend and a feature of the city as much as any ancient church or towering city hall.”

www.kvoa.com

Tucson woman known as “Umbrella Lady” has died, authorities say

TUCSON (KVOA) — Authorities have confirmed that the woman who was hit by a vehicle on Tucson’s northwest side last Thursday has died.
www.kvoa.com www.kvoa.com
 
We have the "Walking Lady" she does carry an unopened umbrella dressed in a purple sweats and purple jacket. She said that God told her to walk to keep healthy. She walks everywhere in about a 10 mile radius She does have a car and will occasionally drive to get groceries and such. Her name is Flo, she also likes to walk in the street when there is a sidewalk there to walk on. I fear for her safety too.
 
cubby said:
We have the "Walking Lady" she does carry an unopened umbrella dressed in a purple sweats and purple jacket. She said that God told her to walk to keep healthy. She walks everywhere in about a 10 mile radius She does have a car and will occasionally drive to get groceries and such. Her name is Flo, she also likes to walk in the street when there is a sidewalk there to walk on. I fear for her safety too.
Click to expand...
I'm going to start a thread today asking for everyone's stories of a person in their community who is unique and well known.
I'm going to introduce Gene, 71, our diminutive Prince Valiant with a thousand questions for everyone, but only one tough to answer: Why are people so mean?
 
There was a very nice article written about Lydia Reis, "The Umbrella Lady" :

When "longtime Tucson musician Loren Dircks and his family"... " were [just] getting to know Reis, she lived in a trailer in Catalina. It was full of the clothes she loved, Rachel Dircks said. Later, she was forced to leave that park, and eventually, in recent years, she moved briefly to New Mexico."

"In the last couple of years, Dircks said, it’s unclear where she was staying. Sometimes, including in recent months, people or churches rented out hotel rooms for her. She especially liked getting a room at La Posada Lodge, 5900 N. Oracle Road. But Dircks suspects she had nowhere specific to stay anymore.
That’s one of the reasons she had taken to pulling around a wagon."

Screenshot_20230117_065513.webp


" “She did not understand, or very much like or appreciate, the fact that she was an icon,” he said. A couple of weeks after meeting her, Dircks said, he gave her a ride to North Fourth Avenue.

On that trip, he said, he told her about his persistent headaches. She recited the same prayer for him three times consecutively, punctuated by yelling the word “Go!” The third time, Dircks said, his headache finally went away for a while. She also told him things about his life that later came true, he said — future jobs and travel.

He came to consider her a “messenger,” who had complete, “childlike and exemplary,” faith in God. Dircks’ wife, Rachel, also got to know Reis, who in those years would carry a spiral-bound notebook in a bag, Rachel Dircks said.

Once, she asked Reis what the notebook was for. It turns out that after she met people, Dircks said, “She would write down their situation so she could pray for them.” And that’s what she would sometimes do as she walked."

" “She would never tell me where she was at, but I know she slept outside sometimes,” Rachel Dircks said. “If you asked her if she was homeless, she would say, ‘I’m not homeless. God takes care of me.’”"

Screenshot_20230117_074008.webp


tucson.com

Tim Steller's column: 'Umbrella Lady' was a reluctant Tucson icon in life, death

One of the things that made Lydia Reis so noticeable also made her vulnerable: She regularly walked along some of the Tucson area's busiest roads.
tucson.com tucson.com
 
Blunderbuss Firozabad said:
Lydia Reid, the "umbrella lady" died on Sunday from her injuries caused by the hit and run driver who has since been arrested.

"Unless you're from Tucson, it's impossible to explain how devastating this is to the community. Umbrella lady was an absolute legend and a feature of the city as much as any ancient church or towering city hall.”

www.kvoa.com

Tucson woman known as “Umbrella Lady” has died, authorities say

TUCSON (KVOA) — Authorities have confirmed that the woman who was hit by a vehicle on Tucson’s northwest side last Thursday has died.
www.kvoa.com www.kvoa.com
Click to expand...
Would like to see what happens to the hit&run driver. Its not like they couldn't see her.
 
thuumpr said:
Would like to see what happens to the hit&run driver. Its not like they couldn't see her.
Click to expand...
Screenshot_20230117_102006.webp



She's been charged with a felony.
The community's tips led to her arrest.
She is the most unpopular person in the city right now.

"The woman who reported the collision told deputies she watched the suspect vehicle, a maroon SUV, continuously cross over the solid white line, known as the “fog line,” of the furthest right-hand lane.

The witness told investigators that she then saw the vehicle strike Reis, who was walking on the south shoulder of Ina, and continue east toward Oracle Road, court documents say.

While searching the area for the maroon SUV, an Oro Valley police officer was flagged down by a truck driver who said he saw a woman attempting to fix her vehicle with duct tape in front of a residence."

"Deputies and OVPD officers went to the residence and found Solis as well as the vehicle believed to have been involved in the crash.

Solis told deputies that she believed that she had struck a utility pole and her intentions were to repair the vehicle, contact her insurance and go back to the scene, the interim complaint states."

Yeah, that makes all kinds of sense.

I'll keep you posted when things progress.


tucson.com

Records: Woman who authorities say struck 'Umbrella Lady' thought she hit utility pole

Interim complaint says driver was later found trying to repair damage to vehicle with duct tape.
tucson.com tucson.com
 
Blunderbuss Firozabad said:
There was a very nice article written about Lydia Reis, "The Umbrella Lady" :

When "longtime Tucson musician Loren Dircks and his family"... " were [just] getting to know Reis, she lived in a trailer in Catalina. It was full of the clothes she loved, Rachel Dircks said. Later, she was forced to leave that park, and eventually, in recent years, she moved briefly to New Mexico."

"In the last couple of years, Dircks said, it’s unclear where she was staying. Sometimes, including in recent months, people or churches rented out hotel rooms for her. She especially liked getting a room at La Posada Lodge, 5900 N. Oracle Road. But Dircks suspects she had nowhere specific to stay anymore.
That’s one of the reasons she had taken to pulling around a wagon."

View attachment 89004

" “She did not understand, or very much like or appreciate, the fact that she was an icon,” he said. A couple of weeks after meeting her, Dircks said, he gave her a ride to North Fourth Avenue.

On that trip, he said, he told her about his persistent headaches. She recited the same prayer for him three times consecutively, punctuated by yelling the word “Go!” The third time, Dircks said, his headache finally went away for a while. She also told him things about his life that later came true, he said — future jobs and travel.

He came to consider her a “messenger,” who had complete, “childlike and exemplary,” faith in God. Dircks’ wife, Rachel, also got to know Reis, who in those years would carry a spiral-bound notebook in a bag, Rachel Dircks said.

Once, she asked Reis what the notebook was for. It turns out that after she met people, Dircks said, “She would write down their situation so she could pray for them.” And that’s what she would sometimes do as she walked."

" “She would never tell me where she was at, but I know she slept outside sometimes,” Rachel Dircks said. “If you asked her if she was homeless, she would say, ‘I’m not homeless. God takes care of me.’”"

View attachment 89005

tucson.com

Tim Steller's column: 'Umbrella Lady' was a reluctant Tucson icon in life, death

One of the things that made Lydia Reis so noticeable also made her vulnerable: She regularly walked along some of the Tucson area's busiest roads.
tucson.com tucson.com
Click to expand...
Could you let us know if you find a DOB for her?
 
IMG_20230203_090058.jpg


Lydia's memorial was held on Monday at the Tohono Chul Gardens, and hundreds came, many with umbrellas.
Her brothers came from California.
They had no idea what a big deal she was here in Arizona.

They said:

"We are thankful for the countless Tucsonans who threw their countless gestures of kindness and tried to make sure that her chosen life was a little bit better,” said the brothers."



@Hermy I've reached out to people that organized the memorial service, all I have so far is 1959.
 
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