Dr. Nancy J. Lucas

1942 - 2021

Dr. Nancy J. Lucas
February 19, 1942 - December 11, 2021
San Luis Obispo, California - Born Nancy Jo Beissner, in San Antonio, Texas, to parents Margaret and Milton, Nancy was the third of four children, including elder siblings, Eleanor and Robert, and her younger sister Mary. As a little girl she preferred cowboy outfits to dresses, and proved she was able to stand on the hill of fire-ants longer than all the boys in the neighborhood.
After finishing a degree in English at the University of the Incarnate Word, Nancy began work on her PhD at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. There she married fellow student Robert Lucas, and in 1968 they had their first child, Michael Steven. The family moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Nancy taught at Eastern Michigan University and continued her PhD studies. She initiated community discussion groups on subjects such as feminism and parenting, and helped organize cooking and childcare cooperatives. In 1971 she bore the family's second son, Daniel Edward, while writing her dissertation on the role of women in the novels of Anthony Trollope to complete her PhD.
When the family moved to San Luis Obispo in 1975, Nancy was hired to teach at California Polytechnic State University, and became known as the professor who began early morning classes by throwing the windows open, any time of year. Specializing in the Modern British Novel and Women's Literature, she thrived in her vocation, lecturing and leading discussions with such passion for literature and its relevance to everyday life that many students, even some on the cusp of graduation, were inspired to switch their major to English. She devoted long office hours to her students, engaging in conversations that ranged far beyond academics into all aspects of life, developing loyal friendships that lasted long after graduation.
Whenever Nancy was at a large gathering, she would often make a point to strike up a conversation with someone who looked a bit out of place and get them to tell their story. Friends remember her as an extraordinarily attentive listener who had an astounding ability to help one feel truly understood and accepted. She also enjoyed hosting dinners for friends, colleagues, and students, long evenings so warm and welcoming that everyone felt at home, even felt themselves a part of her family. Renowned for her wisdom, Nancy was involved in discussion and therapy groups, followed the eightfold path of Buddhism, and was highly adept at sharing what she learned. Often a bit rowdy and risqué, she was beloved for her humor, her laughing fits, and for a penchant to interrupt calm walks on the beach at Montana de Oro by suddenly stripping naked and plunging into the cold ocean.
In 1992 she married William H. Geiger, and together they enjoyed many travels around the country and the world. By the time of her retirement from Cal Poly she had been honored as a Distinguished Professor, and in the following years found great peace in a deepening meditation practice.
In 2015, when signs of memory loss became a concern, her son Michael brought her to live in Healdsburg, CA, where he could ensure she received the best possible care and be close to him, his wife Jennifer, and grandchildren Owen and Flora. As she faded away, Nancy remained responsive to the voice of her younger sister, Mary, and to the songs of her childhood. On December 11, 2021, after hearing Gene Autry's version of "Don't Fence Me In" one last time, Nancy passed away peacefully in the company of her two sons. Her ashes will become a part of a place she loved: the wild coast of Big Sur.
A celebration of Nancy's life will be held in late March (details available on Dr. Nancy J Lucas' site at CaringBridge.org)