James Weldon "Pete" Lucas

James Weldon "Pete" Lucas, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, was called home to heaven on August 11, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas, at the age of 81. Born on March 5, 1944, in Merkel, Texas, Pete was the fourth child of Lucille Marie (McKown) and Jesse Weldon Lucas. He was the first of his siblings to be born in a hospital, delighting his family. His sister Sue fondly remembers going to the hospital to peer through the nursery window to catch a glimpse of her newborn baby brother. Sue says that as far as brothers go, he was a keeper. For the first nine years of his life, Pete was "baby of the family," something he was more than happy to let his sister Jan take over.

As a small child in Arkoma, Pete was lively and adventurous. Once while potty training, his mother had put him out to play in the front yard in just his cotton underpants. He was no fan of having them wet, so he stripped them off, and set off without them to go get some dime-store candy. (His sister, Sue, was sent by their mother to return it.) Pete had a playful nature, but he also had a tender heart. He was devoted to his family and deeply respectful of his parents. When his father passed away, it was Pete his mother called first. He got there so fast, he even beat the ambulance.

In 1956, when Pete was twelve, the family moved to Haltom City. He attended school there, having earlier attended school in Arkoma, and was raised in a home where church was a central part of life. If the church doors were open, the Lucas family was there. Pete's faith in the Lord remained strong throughout his life, guiding his values and the way he treated others.

His nickname "Pete" came from his Uncle Forrest, who was known as a rather ornery man. Uncle Forrest thought the new baby bore a striking resemblance to Pete Burfine, who was a down-on-his-luck, scrawny old man who lived in their neighborhood. The name stuck, and from then on, he was known as "Pete" to all his family and friends.

After finishing school, Pete was drafted into the United States Army and proudly served one tour in the Vietnam War. His unit worked in construction, building bridges and other structures. He once joked that they built them just for the enemy to sneak in and blow them up. While serving, he wrote letters home to his sister Sue, letters that were cherished, as his family worried daily for his safety. He made his return home a surprise to his parents, one day walking up to the porch and calling out, "Is anyone home?" His daddy jumped up so fast his chair fell over, and he about went with it.

Not long after, Pete married the love of his life, Linda Sue Farris, and together they built a marriage that lasted 58 years. They welcomed their daughter, Stacy, into their family and began a life filled with love, laughter, and countless adventures. Stacy would often ride around on her dad's shoulders where she felt like she was "on top of the world." Pete worked for many years at Vandervoort's Milk before later joining Lennox, where he worked for over 20 years.

Pete was a man of many skills and passions. A natural craftsman, he could bring new life to old furniture, create leather wallets with your name engraved, and carve charming wooden boot keychains. At Christmastime, he made ornaments by hand, each one a gift of his time and creativity. He was equally talented in the kitchen, famous for his Saturday morning omelettes, his pea salad regularly requested for every holiday, his catfish dinners at the river, and the legendary burgers he cooked on fishing trips.

Fishing, though, was Pete's truest passion. Whether it was running trout lines at dawn with Stacy, or fishing trips with his brother-in-law and good friend Rudy, Pete found joy and peace on the water. On one unforgettable trip, he and Rudy caught the same turtle twice while fishing with hot dogs, recognizing it by a mark left from a boat. His love for fishing was matched only by his love for his family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His face would light up like a Christmas tree whenever they came into the room, even from his deathbed when he had no strength left for anything else. Two of his granddaughters even claimed him as their favorite person in the world.

Pete was a true outdoorsman, but he also loved traveling the world. With Rudy and Stella, he and Linda took ten cruises, enjoying the ports, the good food, the bingo games, and of course, dessert. Pete loved his cake and ice cream.

Pete's generosity was limitless. He would give away anything he had without a second thought, sometimes forgetting to keep anything for himself. At one point, he owned both a green car and a convertible, and he gave the green car to his sister Sue without hesitation.

He wore his Vietnam veterans cap everywhere, proud of his service, and strangers would often pay for his meal in gratitude. His quiet strength, easygoing nature, love for storytelling, and appreciation for a good joke made him beloved by everyone who knew him.

Pete leaves behind his devoted wife of 58 years, Linda Lucas; his loving daughter, Stacy Cason (Michael); his sister Sue Smith; his grandchildren, Shalie Dahar (Austin), Lucas Cason (Carson), Kimberly Denke (Rudy), and Gina Burchette; and his six beloved great-grandsons, Leyton, Daniel, Wyatt, Colt, Lucas, and Samson, every one of whom he loved to pieces and was so proud of; and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends who all loved him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse and Lucille Lucas; his brother, Mack Lucas; and his sisters, Carolyn White and Jan Mayhew; and other beloved family members who welcomed him home to Heaven.

A graveside service with military honors will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at the Dallas–Fort Worth National Cemetery Pavilion, where Pete will be laid to rest in the place of honor he so deserves. Following the burial, a memorial service and reception will be held at 11:30 a.m. at Christ Chapel Bible Church, where family and friends will gather to share memories, laughter, and love in celebration of Pete's extraordinary life.

Pete Lucas lived a life full of joy, generosity, and devotion. Though he has laid down his fishing pole and his tools, his spirit will live on in the stories told, the values passed on, and the memories treasured by all who knew him.