Gordon Allen Lucas

Gordon Allen Lucas was born November 3, 1935 in Columbus, Ohio to the late Paul and Corimenia (Lewis) Lucas. Gordon accepted Christ at an early age and as a child was a member of St. Paul AME Church. The passing of his father, when Gordon was eight made him the “man” of the house. As such, in order to help support his family he began delivering newspapers and owned a pushcart for collecting cans and bottles to recycle. Gordon fondly recounted his childhood growing up in the historical Fly Town section of Columbus. He enjoyed attending the Fly Town Reunions whenever he could. Gordon graduated from Central High School and soon after he enlisted in the military as a member of the Air Force. He served during the Korean War as a military police officer and as a member of the 802nd Air Installation Squadron in Kansas. Gordon was stationed in Kansas, Nebraska, and Morocco. After his honorable discharge he returned to his beloved Ohio. Gordon attended The Ohio State University with the ambitions of becoming a lawyer. After surviving a stroke in 1960, his studies were put on hold. Upon reentering the work force, Gordon began working at Cody Construction and Franklin International. After leaving his employment with Franklin International, Gordon ventured out as an entrepreneur starting Lucas Hauling. With the help of his wife, Kay, the business flourished with many major accounts including his former employer, Franklin International and Big Bear warehouse to name a few. The success of Lucas Hauling allowed him to sell his business and move on to other endeavors. Gordon began working for Anheuser Busch Corporation where he was employed for more than 30 years before retiring. Gordon then began working for Ball Corporation working as a machine operator for several years before retiring again. Gordon was employed by Napa Automotive delivering parts until the time of his passing. He always strived to provide the very best for his family. Gordon passed away on March 8, 2017, after a brief illness at St. Ann’s Hospital in Westervillle, Ohio. His parents and his wife preceded him in death. He was the beloved husband of Kay (Keels) Lucas for more than 50 years; the devoted father to Randall (Eileen) Lucas, Maria Lucas, and Dr. Jonathan (Dara) Lucas; and the cherished PaPa to Kalea and Keenan Lucas, and Jonah Lucas. In addition to his immediate family, he was loved by his siblings, Iris Keels, Wayne (Louise) Lucas, Sharon (Stanford) Horek, and Mike (Chris) Lucas; cousins Emily Lucas, Gillem Lucas, Flossie Gentry, Deloris Stewart, Nancy Keels, and Norman Langhorne and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends. Gordon was a wonderfully extroverted enthusiast of people and conversation. Whether he was at home or on vacation, he truly never met a stranger. Given enough time, he would discover a shared connection to every single person he met. Perhaps second to his love of family and people was his love of horses especially draft horses like the Clydesdales. Never one to sit idly by, Gordon enjoyed working even in his time off. He relished working with his hands and had a talent for building and gardening. He especially enjoyed frequenting flea markets selling items he was able to repair and refurbish. Above all else, Gordon will be remembered for his strong work ethic and the love and dedication he displayed to his family through his selfless acts of service.