Deviled Eggs That Carried a Family Through Joy and Grief
As part of our 2026 Synod Assembly under the theme Rooted in God’s Story, we are creating a community recipe book — Rooted at the Table. Submit your recipe by Friday, May 1, 2026, and learn more here.
Submitted by Beth Blankenship (Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Goodyear)
For Beth Blankenship, deviled eggs are more than a side dish—they are a symbol of family, faith, and the quiet ways love shows up over time.
Her grandmother, Lucille, was known for always bringing deviled eggs—whether for church gatherings, family celebrations, or moments of grief. When her grandfather passed away, Lucille was unable to make them. But her church family stepped in, bringing deviled eggs to the funeral luncheon—a simple act that carried deep meaning.
In Lutheran communities, food often becomes a form of care. This recipe reminds us how shared meals sustain us in both joy and sorrow.
Grandma Lucille's Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
1 dozen eggs, hard boiled
Mayonnaise to taste
Mustard to taste
salt , pepper, and paprika to taste
Instructions
Slice the hard boiled eggs in half and remove the yolks. In a bowl, mix together the yolks with mayonnaise to taste, enough to make them creamy. Add a squirt or two of yellow mustard, just enough to give the yolk mixture a bit of flavor. Add salt, pepper and paprika to taste. If you like a bit more texture, add a small amount of pickle relish.
Stir all ingredients together and use a piping bag or spoon to fill the hollowed out egg halves. Serve on a platter.
Story
My grandma was known for her deviled eggs. Every time there was a church event, there were her deviled eggs. Every time we had a family meal, there were her deviled eggs.
When my grandpa died, my grandma, for the first time probably ever, did not make her deviled eggs for a funeral service at their church. Their faith family came together and brought deviled eggs for the luncheon after the service and burial. To this day, I will remember all of the leftover food sent home with us,,including the deviled eggs.
But those eggs didn’t last long. These eggs to me mean family and faith. My grandma was the one who made them, for countless family celebrations and funeral luncheons. She never really wrote down any recipes, which is why the recipe is the way I have it written. She didn’t just share faith through deviled eggs. She shared it through conversations around the many tables she was part of.
She shared her faith in the way she lived, in how she treated others, in how she supported her family. She also shared her faith by how he dealt with the hand that was dealt to her. When she was nearing the end of her life she continued to be faithful and faith filled.
At the end of her life, she enjoyed some of her favorite foods, since she knew she would soon be with Jesus, where pain and suffering are no more.
And after her funeral service, guess what her faith family did again? They provided the deviled eggs which provided the food and comfort needed.
