Gary John Lukas left to meet his Heavenly Father April 27, 2024. He was born to John Leo Lukas and Leta Carter Lewis on March 12, 1947 in Santa Monica, California. He had two sisters, Linda and Loretta. He graduated from Pomona High School in 1965, then joined the Navy for four years. After leaving the service, he worked in construction as a framer.
He met and married Bonnie Yvonne Whitbeck in 1972. They had two daughters, Laina and Donna. They relocated to the California desert in 1973 where he worked at the Twentynine Palms Air Ground Combat Center as a carpenter and plumber.
In 1997, he became employed at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon as a maintenance mechanic and built their home in Fredonia, Arizona. He semi-retired in 2006 and went to work for the Army Corps of Engineers doing debris removal after Hurricane Katrina and other disasters until 2014.
He enjoyed being around people. He was a jokester and self-proclaimed “King of Corny Jokes”. He enjoyed playing golf. He also enjoyed periodically having breakfast with his friends (other senior men in the community.)
He is survived by his wife Bonnie, daughters Laina Torgerson and Donna St. John of Twentynine Palms, California, eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild, sister, nieces, and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, and sister, Loretta. The family will honor Gary with a memorial and celebration of life later this month at his home.
Along with Gary’s optimistic outlook on life, was his never-ending humor.
Even during his declining health his most notable phrase was “Bye, glad you got to see me!” And that phrase along with numerous others encapsulate the memory of Gary.