William LUKEN

LUKEN William Louis, age 79, died February 3, 2003 at Hospice of Cincinnati after a short illness. He was born January 25, 1924 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is survived by Catherine (nee Auer) his wife of 56 years; two brothers, Clement and Albert (Bettiejean) Luken, both of Cincinnati, Ohio; five children; William (Marjorie) Luken Jr. of Yorktown Heights, New York; Robert Luken of Dayton, Ohio; Susan (Donald) Smith of Cincinnati, Ohio; James (Ellen) Luken of Troy, Ohio; and Marianne (Robert Brown) Luken of Kapaa, Hawaii; seven grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Gerhard (Henry) and Helena Maria "Mary' (nee Budde) Luken of Cheviot, Ohio and three brothers, Harry, Bernard and Frank Luken. He graduated from Elder High School, Cincinnati, Ohio in 1941. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force during WW II as a B-24 Crew Chief. Following his discharge from the service, he resumed a civilian career at Wright-Patterson Air Force Bas, retiring in 1975 as a programmer with the U.S. Air Force Logistics Command. He raised his family in Dayton, Ohio and Huber Heights, Ohio. Between 1955 and 1965, he was an active volunteer in Boy Scouts of America, serving as Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster for Troops 20, 87 and 169 in Dayton and Huber Heights, in 1974-75, he and his wife served as host parents to Lauri Kaira, an AFS foreign exchange student from Finland. He had been active in the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Peter's Church, Huber Heights, Ohio. In 1977, he and his wife relocated to Cape Coral, Florida, where he enjoyed cultivating his extensive tropical garden and his part-time employment at Edison Community College. He was a life member of the DESC/WBAFB Florida Retirees, and had served as President and Vice-president. He was an active member of the Lee County Genealogical Society and the Southwest Florida Personal Computer User's Group, generously providing assistance to others engaged in genealogical researh and computer use. He and his wife returned to Cincinnati in July 2002 to be closer to the care and support of family members. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to a Hospice of Cincinnati. A memorial mass celebrating his life will be conducted Saturday, February 8, 2003, 10:30 A.M. at St. James of the Valley Catholic Church, Wyoming, Ohio. Arrangements entrusted to Kowalk Funeral Home-Rose Hill Chapel, Hamilton, Ohio.