Lynn “Lulu” Bagdon, a devoted member of the Illinois Route 66 Association for over 20 years, died last month in Hebron, Indiana. She was 69.
Bagdon, who even worked at a Route 66-based restaurant in the Chicagoland area for a time, frequently attended Route 66 gatherings across the country until poor health curtailed her activities in recent years.
One of the most interesting things about Bagdon was that she lugged around a nearly life-size rag doll named Lulu to Route 66 events.
I’m not sure the doll still exists; I’m hoping someone in the Illinois association has it for safekeeping.
Interestingly, Rich Dinkela, former Route 66 Association of Missouri president and now owner of the Wagon Wheel Motel and Shamrock Court motel, stated on a Facebook post that Bagdon was a key influence in his becoming more publicly involved in Route 66.
LuLu was one of several roadies who, in 2011, was very receptive to this young punk bursting onto the scene with his passion for Route 66. And yes, I’m talking about me 15 years ago.
My late friend, Gary Turner, had been talking me into going to the International Route 66 Festival in Amarillo that year. Gary was all about the people on 66. I was a somewhat closed-off hermit who loved exploring 66 for years, marking Route 66 with stencils, albeit incognito at that time, and learning everything I could about the history of Route 66.
Ultimately, in a major twist of fate, Gary managed to convince me to go to that festival in Amarillo. I had been collecting signatures on the hood of my Route 66 adventure truck for a little more than a year, but it was at that festival where I was totally sucked into the Route 66 community and given the name “Roamin Rich” by the late Ken Turmel. Sadly, we lost Ken this year as well.
I never realized the full gravity of how I would impact the history of this road. To be clear though, none of that would have been possible without encouragement from roadies like LuLu and Ken, not to mention iconic ambassadors like Gary Turner.
2011 was a pivotal year for my beloved alter ego. Because of their kindness and hospitality toward young newcomers, this guy went on to shake things up and make significant, positive impacts on 66. I hope these impacts will live on for decades and in turn, inspire others to do good for our road.
Never underestimate the power we have to encourage and inspire.
Bagdon also frequently messaged Route 66 News with tips or media stories she had read.
According to her obituary, she is survived by a brother and was preceded in death by her parents.
(Hat tip to Jeff Meyer; image of Lynn “Lulu” Bagdon from her Facebook page)