Obituary of Joseph Woodrow Lucas

Joseph W. Lucas passed away on March 13, 2014 at Dominican Hospital. He was 90. He was born November 21, 1923 in Benson, Minnesota, the son of Joseph and Mildred (Fritz) Lucas. He grew up in Illinois and attended Marmion Military Academy in Aurora, Illinois. He served in the U.S. Airforce during World War Two. Joseph was also known as Joe, Joey, Woody, Dad, Papa, Poppies and Uncle Joe. The man with the dancer's walk, twinkle in his blue eyes and an electric smile met a beautiful island girl, Sylvia while stationed in Trinidad, BWI and she became his bride in 1947. They celebrated their 67th Anniversary this past February. Sylvia and Joe made their home in Sacramento, CA and Joe worked driving taxi along with his father at their cab company. Later Joe ran his own gas station downtown, Joe's Flying A. Next he worked at Addressograph-Multigraph Corp. in machine sales. This job took Joe and Sylvia and the first of their seven children to Bakersfield and then to Fresno. In 1966 the family moved to Aptos and has been there ever since. Joe began working at Teledyne McCormick Selph in Hollister as a printer until his retirement. Joe was a hard working man who loved his family greatly. He was a reader, an artist, a golfer and bowler. A man with a quiet sense of humor and gentle heart. He never complained and was a master at making molehills out of mountains. Joe was always welcoming and cheerful. When you talked to him he gave you his full attention, he leaned in and listened. He enjoyed his 49ers and NASCAR, BBQ's and anytime that family and friends gathered, making everyone feel at home. He was a true gentleman, a "gentle man" all his life. He left a part of himself in all of us who knew and loved him. You never needed Joe to tell you he loved you, you just knew it. He will be greatly missed by all. We were so blessed to be in his life. Joe was a long time and devoted member of Resurrection Catholic Church in Aptos. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Sylvia A. Lucas; children, Cheryl Vessey, Michelle Brown, Joseph Alan Lucas and his wife, Trish, David Lucas and his wife, Kat, Anne Marie Carlson, John Lucas and his wife, Laura and Michael Lucas; seventeen grandchildren, Katy, Maggie, Luke, Jeffrey, Heather, Krystina, Amie, Kit, Zoey, Abby, Micah, Drew, Michael, Sam, Alma, Nils and Jeorge; He was also survived by nine great grandchildren, Ove, Umi, Maya, Nola, Joe, Halle, Maleigha, Jalony and Keyanna. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mildred Lucas and Joseph Lucas and a brother, Philip Lucas. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at Resurrection Catholic Church 7600 Soquel Dr., Aptos, CA on Wednesday March 26, 2014 at 10:00 am. A vigil prayer service will be held at Benito & Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel, 1050 Cayuga St, Santa Cruz, CA on Tuesday March 25, 2014 at 6:00 pm. A visitation will be held at the funeral home on Tuesday from 2pm until service time. A private inurnment will take place in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cemetery, Aptos, CA. Please visit www.pacificgardenschapel.com to light a candle in Joe's memory or express your condolences to Joe's family.