Obituary of Virgil H. Lucke

Virgil was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Augusta M. Hering and Edward H. Lucke. 

He was the second of their four boys. His three brothers Marion, Ron, and Doug were his lifelong best friends.

Virgil grew up on a farm in a large extended family. His grandmother, two aunts, an uncle, and sometimes a minister also lived there. He attended school from 5th grade on in a one-room schoolhouse. He graduated from Loveland High School and was the first in his family to go off to college—at age sixteen! He earned a Masters in Engineering from Ohio State University. 

In 1955, he married a young nurse named Phyllis Kaefer whom he first met when he fixed her mother’s patio. They were together 63 years.

Between them, they created:

Deb Lucke (Paul Hartzell), Dan Lucke (Carla Orlando Lucke), Kurt Decker-Lucke (Shirley Decker-Lucke), and Eric Lucke (Caterina Merlino Lucke). They also originated two granddaughters: Isolde Decker-Lucke and Isadora Decker-Lucke.

Virgil was one of the last “lifers” at GE. He started his career in the Advanced Engineering Program. He moved into computing just as the technology exploded. He designed jet engines, worked for a short time in energy, and then ran a group in R&D related to CAD. He took great pride in selecting highly technical people and helping them form into a team. In his retirement speech, he described it as “fun.” 

Phyllis and Virgil’s home life centered around the Church. In the Cincinnati years, they were members of Sycamore United Presbyterian Church. Virgil became an elder in his early thirties. He was also an elder and Sunday school teacher at East Glenville Community Church. His teaching was inspired by theological themes he found in the Funny Pages.

His retirement was filled with family time, tennis, love, and grace despite his many years living with Alzheimer’s.

Calling hours for Virgil will be held at the Glenville Funeral Home, 9 Glenridge Rd., Glenville on Friday May 10, 2019 from 4 to 7 PM. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, May 11th, at 12pm at the East Glenville Community Church, 335 Saratoga Rd, Glenville. Burial will be private at St. Anthony’s Cemetery, Glenville.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association (Chicago): https://www.alz.org/illinois