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Date of these obituaries: 12-05-97
Richard Lukens filled short stories with life's joy
Richard Lukens had memorable tales to tell about his childhood: the nights he spent in farmers' barns, watching his veterinarian father deliver calves. The time he was given a sick circus camel, which his father nursed back to health.
After he retired, Mr. Lukens put those stories on paper, many of which were published in Ohio Magazine. Last year, his work was recognized by the prestigious Writers Guild Association.
The 74-year-old Crestview Hills resident compiled the best of his short stories into a book, "Keeper of the Menagerie, " which is expected to be published soon, said his daughter, Tracey Burk.
Mr. Lukens died of lung cancer at 8:04 p.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South in Edgewood.
"He loved his family, he loved the holidays, he loved to see people having fun and laughing, " said Mrs. Burk, of Ft. Wright.
He grew up with six brothers and sisters in Hillsboro, Ohio, during the Great Depression.
The family lived day-to-day on the chickens and vegetables that his father, William, was paid in exchange for his veterinary services.
Mr. Lukens attended Ohio State University and played football before he entered the Army as a medic during World War II.
After he injured his back, he was placed on weekend leave from the Army.
As he waited for a bus at Union Terminal in Cincinnati to take him to the Army post in Ft. Thomas, a woman beside him asked if he had dropped a ring.
"The ring had the initials "F.L.', " Mrs. Burk said. "Those are his real initials. Francis is his real name but he always went by Richard."
Later, Mr. Lukens would look on that encounter as fate.
He ended up marrying the woman, Mary C. Lukens, his wife of 54 years.
The couple eventually moved to Crestview Hills, where they raised three daughters.
Mr. Lukens worked as a salesman for about 20 years at Adams Wholesalers, which sold lumber.
"That was really the best profession for him, because he liked people, he could talk and he could tell jokes, " Mrs. Burk said. "He'd go to lumber companies, take them to lunch and when he walked out, he had made these huge sales."
Heart disease forced Mr. Lukens to retire about 15 years ago.
He underwent two bypass surgeries yet remained upbeat and optimistic.
He actually enjoyed visiting his cardiologist in Erlanger, and just for fun, he often called the office to tell the nurses a joke to pass along to Dr. Ralph Huller. "He would think of a joke during the day to tell Dr. Huller, and he would get the nurses doubled over, laughing, " Mrs. Burk said.
When his wife was diagnosed with a brain tumor six years ago and had to have surgery, it became very important to Mr. Lukens that he publish his book of memoirs.
"He was hoping it would really sell because he wanted mother to be well-taken care of, " Mrs. Burk said.
Mr. Lukens also leaves daughters Suzanne Pompilio of Cincinnati and Christine Kennedy of Edgewood; sister, Jane Bowman of Venice, Fla.; brothers, William Lukens of Hillsboro, Ohio, Jack Lukens of Highland Heights and Theodore Lukens of Cincinnati; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Pius X Church, Edgewood.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. tonight at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington.
Burial will be in St. John Cemetery, Ft. Mitchell.
Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, 7730 U. S. 42, Suite C6, Florence, Ky., 41042.
Mary L. Hightower Arens, 93, of Covington, died at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday at Rosedale Manor, Latonia.
She was a retired Kenton County assistant juvenile officer, a security officer with Cal-Crim and several local department stores.
She was a member of the Kenton County Women's Democratic Club, and a member of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Her husband, Arthur Arens, died in 1970.
Survivors include daughters, Mary Jane Walden of Covington, Teddy Petrey of Ft. Mitchell and Pat Caudell of Latonia; seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Holy Cross Church, Latonia.
Visitation will begin at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday at the church.
Burial will be in Mother of God Church, Ft. Wright.
Memorials are suggested to Rosedale Manor Special Fund, 4250 Glenn Ave., Latonia, Ky., 41015. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
Lillian Berry, 62, of Covington, died Thursday at Gardenview Nursing Home, Cincinnati.
Arrangements are pending at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Covington.
Ralph N. Foy, 73, of Newport, died Tuesday at his home.
Arrangements are pending at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Taylor Mill.
Mary Jane Masters, 74, of Ft. Thomas, died at 8:20 p.m. Wednesday at her home.
She was a homemaker.
Survivors include her hus band, James A. Masters; daughters, Karen Minsterman of Ft. Thomas and Carol Breitenstein of Highland Heights; sons, William Masters of Scott Depot, W.Va. and James Masters of Ft. Thomas; and eight grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph Church, Cold Spring.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Ft. Thomas.
Prayers will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Ft. Thomas. Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, 7730 U. S. 42, Suite C6, Florence, Ky., 41042, or St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky., 41014.
Floyd Whaley, 75, of Independence, died at 1:16 a.m. Thursday at his home.
He was a retired farmer and a member of Big Bone Baptist Church, Union. He was a Navy veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Alberta Hulker Whaley; sons, Denver Whaley of Union and Sam Whaley of Burlington; a daughter, Carol Webster of Florence; a brother, Charlie Whaley of Walton; a sister, Jessie Denton of Florence; five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Hamilton-Stanley Funeral Home, Verona. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in New Bethel Cemetery, Verona.
Memorials are suggested to the church, 11036 Big Bone Church Road, Union, Ky., 41091.
Mary M. Whalen Wolnitzek, 79, of Ft. Wright, died at 10:20 p.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
She was a homemaker and a member of St. Agnes Church, Ft. Wright.
She also was a member of Leisure Timers, Hilltoppers, Golden Age and Ft. Wright Civic clubs. Her hus band, Robert A. Wolnitzek Sr., died in 1987.
Survivors include a son, Robert A. Wolnitzek Jr. of Ludlow; daughters, Carol Schroeder, Kathy Kasselmann and Pamela Hudson, all of Ft. Wright, Mary Lou Robke of Lakeside Park, Eileen Gruber of Villa Hills and Robert Kuehling of Dillsboro, Ind.; a sister, Dorothy Moeller of Covington; 16 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the church. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. tonight at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington.
Entombment will be in Mother of God Mausoleum, Ft. Wright.
Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society.
