William Lukas Barnhart, 80 of Greeley, passed away April 11, 2019 in Greeley. He was born February 13, 1939 at the family home in Cheyenne County, Nebraska to Benjamin Jacob and Mary Emily (Studlar) Barnhart.
On March 2, 1968, he was married to Donna Lou Rankin at the Zion Lutheran Church, Newman Grove, Nebraska.
Lukas grew up in Cheyenne County, Nebraska and attended the Sunol school. He graduated from Sunol High School. Following graduation he worked and was later drafted into the US Army. He served at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Following his honorable discharge he returned to Nebraska and worked at the safflower processing plant in Sidney, Nebraska. He then worked for an electrical shop in Sidney and later became a union electrician. He was a longtime member of IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Local 68.
He worked in numerous places during his career, including power plants, oil refineries, and at Rocky Flats. His favorite job was at DIA (Denver International Airport). He retired March 1, 2001.
Lukas enjoyed his vegetable gardens, cutting wood with his chain saw at Red Feather Lakes, his 1971 Oldsmobile, and his 1993 Dodge diesel pickup for many loads of wood he and the family cut. Above all was the love he had for his family and the time they spent together.
He is survived by his wife, Donna; his daughters, Diana Stretcher (Jay) of Simla and Denise Holligan (Dan) of Greeley; his sons, Leslie Barnhart of Grinnell, Kansas, Wesley Barnhart (Jill) of Newbury Park, California, and Ben Barnhart (Peggy) of Greeley; two sisters, Mary Lou Bartling of Sidney, Nebraska and Dorothy Van Raay (Pete) of Potter, Nebraska; two brothers, John Barnhart (Carolyn) of Lodgepole, Nebraska and Ed Barnhart (Janet) of North Platte, Nebraska. Also survived by 22 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Ruth Bartling, and 3 brothers, Hugh, Benjamin, and Roy.
Funeral services will be 2:00 pm Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at the Stoddard Funeral Home. Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens.
