Yovan D. Lukic

Yovan D. Lukic, of Paradise Valley, Arizona, Husband, Father, Brother, Uncle, Friend, Animal Lover, Adventurer, and Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering, passed away on July 13, 2025 at the age of 81 after battling dementia for over ten years.

Yovan was born in Belgrade, in the former Yugoslavia, on March 11, 1944. In the mid-1950s, his family received permission from Tito's communist government to go to Italy for a short vacation. They boarded a train with two large suitcases and money sewn into their clothes; they did not return. When they arrived on the busy platform of the Italian train station, Yovan tasted CocaCola for the first time, drinking from a bottle shared by the whole family.

The family immigrated to Merida, Venezuela. There, Yovan learned Spanish, went to school, suffered a monkey bite on his finger that left a scar, and became involved with and passionate about protesting against communism. Despite his young age, the latter made him political enemies and, in fear of his life, Yovan's parents insisted he leave Venezuela to pursue his studies in the United States.

He landed in Potsdam, New York, just south of the Canadian border, to study at Clarkson College in 1962. There, he learned English while he studied Electrical Engineering, became a life-long Beatles fan when he heard the song "I Want To Hold Your Hand" when it first hit the airwaves, and graduated in 1966. In need of defrosting, Yovan pursued a Masters Degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Florida from 1966-1968. There he made lifelong friends that later recalled that one night they were sitting around a pool when Yovan pulled out a bottle of Slivovitz, a plum brandy, and offered them shots. Yovan took his shot, threw his hands in the air, yelled "OPA!", and jumped into the pool - clothes and all. The others followed suit. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In 1980, his life changed when he took a vacation to Club Med in the Bahamas, where he met his future wife, Gabriela, who raised three daughters with him and, years later, took care of him when he forgot their names. Yovan and Gabriela began their marriage in the San Diego area, where they made life-long friends. Yovan taught his daughters to climb the walnut tree in front of their house and how to ride bikes by running alongside them while holding onto a belt tied to their waists. At night, Yovan and Gabriela put them to bed by singing a prayer called "Angelito de la Guarda".

In 1990, the family moved to Paradise Valley, Arizona after Yovan accepted a job with Arizona Public Service, where he worked for almost 20 years, initially working at their offices downtown and, later, at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. He made many friends at APS, who were integral in his many adventures, including many hikes up Camelback and around the Phoenix-metro area, camping trips to the Grand Canyon, boat ownership, and elk hunting (which, due to Yovan's love for animals, ended up being more of an elk observation). He loved hosting parties at the family house where lambs would roast over a spit and there was no shortage of beer or Slivovitz. He loved sharing his passions with his daughters, and encouraged them to take things apart, learn how to use computers, hike, bike, camp, tell jokes, and study - often quizzing them on multiplication tables at the dinner table. He was demanding, stubborn, charismatic, a practical joker, affectionate, and loyal.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Gabriela Lukic; his daughter, Greta Lukic, and Greta's partner Richard Lurie; his daughter Alexandra Nichols, his son-in-law, Jonathan Nichols, and his grandchildren, Jay and Weston; his daughter, Karla Lukic, and his son-in-law, Mathew Allan; his sister, Maria Lemoine; his nieces, Aude and Caroline, and their families; his friend and caretaker, Elena Quinones; and his dog, Lucy. He is predeceased in death by his loyal companions: a German Shepard named Treven, who would break out of the San Diego home and meet Yovan at work; a Weimaraner named Rigby, who would follow Yovan from room to room; and Mimi, a Husky-mix, who preferred to have people come to her than vice-versa. He loved his dogs and all animals, and we imagine that he is on a happy outdoor adventure, running alongside and playing with Treven, Rigby, and Mimi in heaven.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made in his honor to the ASPCA.