William "Bill" Luckey

William Lee Luckey, age 80, of Sandy Springs, GA, passed away from dementia on Tuesday, July 9, 2013. He was a devoted and loving husband and father who will be deeply missed. Bill was born in Triangle, NC, and raised in Mount Holly, NC. He graduated from Mount Holly High School and then the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill, NC. After college, he proudly served in the U.S. Army and then joined Douglas Aircraft Company. While working for Douglas and living in Charlotte, NC, he met Gloria Griffin. They married in June 1965, and then settled in Atlanta, GA in September 1966, after Bill joined United Parcel Service (UPS). For 29 years, he dedicated himself to Big Brown, retiring from his position in Southeast Region Accounting, in August 1995. Bill was a man known for his smile. Everyone he met made mention of it. And he truly connected with those around him, whether at work, at church or out in the community. He was a man of faith, a gifted storyteller, an avid gardener, a fun-loving fan of UNC basketball, baseball and football, a regular cheerleader at his children's and grandchildren's sporting events and was widely admired for his wit, wisdom and sense of humor. A caregiver at heart, he watched over everyone in his immediate and extended family, because it gave him purpose and brought him such joy. There is no doubt that Bill was a strong, supportive and generous spirit, a man who brightened the lives of all around him. Bill is survived by his son Will and his grandsons Tristan and Landon of Atlanta, GA, his daughter and son-in-law Beth and Greg McCoy of Lookout Mountain, GA, his son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Karina Nimmerfall of Brooklyn, NY and Berlin, Germany, along with his sister Emily Puckett of Greensboro, NC, his brother-in-law Ray Griffin of Asheville, NC, his sister-in-law Lynette Gershon and her children Alex and Katie of Asheville, NC, his sister-in-law Claudia Griffin Brown, her husband Brian Brown and her son Geoffrey Griffin of Cheraw, SC, his niece Robin Baker, her husband Linwood and their son Matthew of Kernersville, NC, his niece Debbie Puckett of Dallas, TX, and his nieces Eliza Saber and Emily Griffin of North East, PA. Bill was preceded by his wife Gloria Griffin Luckey, who passed away from cancer in 2002. The family will receive friends on Thursday, July 11th, from 6 to 8 PM at H.M. Patterson & Son, Arlington Chapel, 173 Allen Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30328, 404-851-9900. Bill’s funeral service will be held on Friday, July 12th at 2 PM at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church, 471 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, GA 30328, 404-255-2211, with Reverend Ronald J. Gilreath officiating. Bill will then be buried on Saturday, July 13th at 1 PM at Unity Presbyterian Church, 8210 Unity Church Road, Denver NC 28037, 704-483-5266. In lieu of flowers, tribute gifts can be made to Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church, where Bill was an active member and volunteer for years, in support of their wonderful outreach ministries, http://www.mvpchurch.org/Ou_outreach.html.