Connie Maria Lucas

Connie (Consuelo) Marie Lucas (Castinado), 93 went to be with her beloved husband Bill and daughter Teresa on January 23, 2025 peacefully in her bed in Pensacola, Florida.

She was born November 26, 1931 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, one of three children to Philip and Maria Castinado.

In high school she was a Majorette in the Scottsbluff High School Band and member of the yearbook committee. After high school she followed her sister Lillian to Pensacola where she had many adventures with new friends while working at Chemstrand (Monsanto). She also volunteered at the local USO where she met the love of her life, Navy Flight Student Ensign William (Bill, "Luke")E. Lucas of Bellefontaine, Ohio.

They soon married and started their family, moving almost annually according to Luke's assignments; Key West, FL - HS1; Ellyson Field, FL HT8; Port Lyautey Kenitra, Morocco; Lakehurst, NJ HC4; Whiting Field, FL.

Connie was the true definition of a military wife loving all the happiness it brought and rising to every challenge during the many deployments of Luke. (Please read the poem "When God created the Military Wife"). She was always an active member of the Officer's Wives Club, was a Gray Lady/American Red Cross volunteer at the military hospitals, and was also active with the schools her children went to at their many duty stations. When her children entered Little Flower Catholic School in Myrtle Grove, Connie became very active as a Girl Scout Leader and member of the Parish Women's Group. She was also very active in and was book-keeper for the Myrtle Grove Women's Club. Connie and Luke also restored and displayed antique sewing machines and furniture for the annual Pensacola State Fair. During the late 1970's and most of the 1980's she was a dedicated sales woman in the girls department at the Cordova Mall Gayfers.

In the late 2000's, as Bill's health declined, she became his dedicated caretaker, and was responsible for his continued health care up to his death in summer of 2019.

She is preceded in death by her husband Bill (Luke), her parents Phillip and Maria, sister Lillian (Albert Garcia), daughter Teresa Lucas, and son-in-law Gary Cassidy.

She is survived by son Mark Lucas (Vyvyan); daughter Linda Cassidy; grandchildren Sonya Cervantes (Eric), Lucas Cassidy (Stacia and Stephen Lucas; great grandchildren Cassidy and Cadence Cervantes and Cameron Cassidy; plus family "mascots" Curious George and Georgina.

Memorial Services will be held at Barrancas National Cemetery on Wednesday, April 9th at 10:30am where she will be interred with her husband Bill.

Mom's request to Mark and Linda that if anyone wishes to make any donations in her honor please consider Military Veterans Organizations, one of her most passionate was Wreaths Across America.