John R. Luke

John Robert Luke, 78, of Olney passed away on Friday, January 26th at 6:56 pm at Carle Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney, IL.
John was born May 13th, 1945 in Richland County, IL to John and Grace (McDowell) Luke. He would often reflect fondly of the time he spent growing up with his family in Bunnyville. John attended school in Clay City, a graduate of the Clay City High School Class of 1963. After graduation, John enlisted in the Army. During boot camp, he suffered a heat stroke and spent the next several months at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Denver. After his recovery and medical discharge, John attended the United Electronics Institute in Louisville, KY. He later continued his Education Southern Illinois University School of Business, graduating with his Bachelor of Science in 1973.
But his most treasured achievement? John married Donna York on June 8th, 1968 at Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Calhoun, IL. They enjoyed a beautiful 50 years of marriage before Donna preceded him in death on July 12th, 2018.
John enjoyed the roar of an engine. Before retirement, John clocked nearly 5 million miles behind the wheel as an over-the-road truck driver. But his passion was racing, with many great memories made at the oval. From racing karts at the White Squirrel Speedway, working with his friends in the pits at local dirt tracks like Haubstaud and Mount Vernon, to following Nascar, John loved a good race. John enjoyed sharing his knowledge of automotive engineering, helping many local racers build their cars.
We would be remiss to talk about John without mentioning his love for technology. From his Commodore 64 all the way through to the gaming laptop he just purchased, John enjoyed the challenge of finding the best setup he could while keeping his costs down. He enjoyed playing Solitaire and Mahjong Tiles to relax alone, but reviled in the excitement of the online gaming community. Discord has connected him with many new friends, especially through playing Rust. Having spent 5,452 hours playing together, the Rust community has provided challenge, camaraderie, and enjoyment even as his health made it harder to find these things in his local community.
John will be missed and remembered by his brother Donald Luke; sister-in-law Becky Davis; brother-in-law Gregory Coan; nieces and nephews Tabatha (Zack) Slater, Angela (David) Zuber, Destini (Billy Bell) Coan, Noah Perry, Hunter (Hanna) Perry, Emma Slater, John Slater, Koy Stevens, and Luke Slater; and great-niece Aspen Perry. John is preceded in death by his wife Donna; parents John and Grace; sister-in-law Jo Ann Coan; nephews Micheal "Scott" Cantrell and David Davis.
Please join the family to celebrate John's life on Saturday, February 3rd, at 2pm at Faith Bible Church of Olney, 6015 N IL130. There will be a visitation for one hour preceding the service beginning at 1pm at the church. After a short service officiated by Pastor Zachary Slater, the family requests you join them for a time of visitation and sharing of memories over dinner at the church.
John's final act of kindness was to give the gift of life through organ and tissue donation before cremation rites accorded. Wojstrom Funeral Home and Crematory of Granite City assisted with all arrangements. Online guestbook may be found at www.wojstrom.com. A special thank you to the doctors and staff of Carle Richland Memorial Hospital for their care and support of John and family in his final days. If you wish to honor John's memory with a memorial gift, please consider a donation to the John Luke Estate. The estate will be purchasing improvements to benefit the Carle RMH Long Term Care Unit.