All of God’s Creatures Great and Small welcomed into Heaven one of its most revered friends and veterinarians on Friday, June 3, 2016, when Dr. James Franklin Lucas, known as “Jim” or “Doc,” passed away peacefully after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease
Jim is survived by his wife of 55 years, Mildred Kay Lucas, and their four children, Jamie, Matt, Shelly, and Joe, their spouses and friend, along with nine grandchildren. Jim and Kay’s first born, Baby Daniel, passed away at three days old.
The son of Max and Dorothy Lucas, Jim was born April 14, 1939, in a farmhouse near the family farm, three years after older brother, Donovan. Jim and Don grew up driving tractors, plowing fields, raking hay, and choring for cattle and pigs (in addition to fishing, hunting, and getting into a lot of mischief).
Following graduation from Bedford High School in 1957, Jim’s love for farm life and animals landed him in vet school at Iowa State University. Kay joined Jim at ISU in 1958, and they were married on December 18, 1960. Upon earning their degrees from ISU, Jim and Kay returned to Bedford in 1964 to start a family and begin a long-time career in doctoring animals across southwest Iowa and northwest Missouri. But, caring for animals wasn’t enough for Jim. The country boy at heart continued to farm the family land, growing his Angus herd and harvesting crops. Everyone who knew Jim knows that he would still be practicing veterinary medicine, farming the land, and befriending everyone he came into contact with if the slight tremor in his left hand had never started in 1986. Parkinson’s symptoms took many things away from Jim, but it could never rob him of his smiles, laughs, jokes and passions he shared with everyone.
Family and friends celebrated Jim’s life at a Visitation on Tuesday, June 7, 2016 and at a Celebration of Life Funeral Service on June 8, 2016, at the United Christian Presbyterian Church in Bedford, Iowa. Dr. Jim Cummings led services. Doc was laid to rest at Fairview Cemetery in Bedford, Iowa. Memories may be shared at www.ritchiefuneralhome.com. Arrangements were entrusted to the Ritchie Funeral Home of Bedford.
The Lucas Family asks that gifts and donations be made in Dr. Lucas’ name, with a memorial to be determined at a later time.
Doc was one of those rare gems who shared his love for animals
and his love for life with all those he met.
He will be missed as a husband, father, grandfather,
and friend by his human friends, and as the
“Gentle Doctor” to his animal friends.
No comments:
Post a Comment