Clyda Weeks Lutz

Clyda Weeks Lutz, 80, of Morehead City, NC passed away September 3rd, 2021, at Carteret Health Care from an undiagnosed cancer with her daughter, Karen, at her side.

Born Clyda Marguerite Weeks on March 1st, 1941, in Raleigh, North Carolina to Lloyd Thornton (LT) Weeks (Newton Grove, NC) and Marguerite Gardner Weeks (Gardnerville, NC).

She grew up on a small farm in Garner, NC where she attended Garner High School.  She was active in the beta club, student government, sports, band, cheerleading, 4-H and she even drove a school bus for a little extra spending money.  She attended the University of Arizona her freshman year and then returned to Raleigh to attend North Carolina State University. This was the first-year coeds were welcomed on campus, later she became the first female president of the College Union. While attending NCSU she met her husband, Denny Lutz of Charlestown, IN.  Denny was recruited to play basketball at NCSU under Everette Case. They were married their senior year of college and moved back to Indiana a year after graduation so that Denny could return to his family business.

After college, Clyda worked for the American Red Cross before she began teaching at Charlestown High School.  She taught earth science, physical education, advanced first aide and finished her time at CHS as a guidance counselor.  Outside of the classroom she coached track & field and was an advisor to the student council.  During the summers she continued her work with the Red Cross by teaching water safety instruction, advanced lifesaving, and swimming lessons.  She continued her education, earning a master’s degree plus 30 hours towards her doctorate at Indiana University.

Clyda returned to North Carolina in 1983, two years after the death of her husband, to be closer to her family.  Moving to Carteret County home she dipped her toe into entrepreneurship, she enjoyed real estate and even built her own house overlooking the ocean that she loved.  She started a clothing and accessories business, personalizing everything with nautical signal flags.  Nauticode was located on Front Street in Beaufort, NC.

In 1996 she returned to her love of teaching at West Carteret High School teaching honors earth science. If you find yourself looking at the clouds, there is a good chance you, or your child, had her for earth science.  She believed in teaching practical skills to her students, teaching them about the clouds and their formations helped them to better understand weather patterns and approaching weather systems. Her bus driving skills, which she learned at an early age, came in handy as she would take her students to the beach once a month to measure the movement of the sand. This reinforced how truly powerful the ocean is.

Outside of the classroom she was the advisor to the quiz bowl team for many years. She attended as many summer workshops as she could find to continue her own education and in return, she passed it along to her students.  She was honored with Carteret County Teacher of the year at the age of 65, and then retired in 2012 at the age of 71.  She loved her students and formed many lifelong friendships with former students.  After she retired, she became involved with the Carteret Literacy Council and enjoyed teaching English as a second language. She also sat on their board of directors and helped with fund raising efforts.

To say that she had a wanderlust would be an understatement, she loved to travel and experience other cultures.   She visited all 50 states, 5 continents, 40+ countries. She shared her travel with her daughters and several of her very close friends. It was during a trip to South Africa that she became intrigued with jewelry making, this in turn was the beginning of a new hobby of learning new skills, techniques and creating beautifully unique pieces.  At the age of 75 she enrolled in a welding class at the community college to enhance her jewelry making skills and ended up making the biggest bottle tree you have ever seen out of rebar.  Her amazing quest of knowledge never wavered.

She is preceded in death by her parents, LT Weeks and Marguerite Weeks; her husband, Denny Lutz; and brother-in-law, AP Stephenson.

She is survived by two daughters, Karen E. Lutz and Melissa M. Lutz, both of Morehead City, NC. One sister, Mona Weeks Stephenson of Wake Forest, NC; one niece, Danielle Stephenson Lowden (Chris) and their 4 children of Wake Forest, NC.  First cousins, Ben Alton Gardner, Gardnerville, NC and Jeannette Gardner, New York, NY.

Her wishes were to be cremated and spread at sea.  We will be having a floating Celebration of Life ceremony on Sunday, September 26, 2021. All who knew her are welcome from 1 p.m.  until 3 p.m. on the 3rd floor of Jack’s in downtown Morehead City. (513 Evans St).  Come join us and enjoy the amazing view as we celebrate a woman who touched so many lives. Weather permitting, the family will leave by boat around 3:00 p.m. to carry out her wishes.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Carteret Literacy Council (4907 Bridges St Ext, Ste D, Morehead City, NC 28557) or Batten Disease Support & Research (BDSRA.org)

Three words that summed up her life: Courageous, Adventurous, Determined.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.