Kenneth Scott Luker

Kenneth Scott Luker, 66, was born June 15, 1959, in Chicago, Illinois, to Robert Charles Luker and Ruth Loraine (nee Elser) Luker. After a courageous battle with cancer, he passed away on March 18, 2026, at his home in Los Angeles, California, surrounded by family.

Kenneth (Ken) attended St. Peter Lutheran School in Arlington Heights, Illinois, serving as valedictorian for the 1973 class, and graduated from Arlington High School in 1977. He enrolled as an economics major at Northwestern University before transferring to the University of California, Los Angeles in 1979, where he earned his B.A. and M.A. in 1981. He was one of two students to receive an award for excellence in finance. He later earned his MBA in Finance from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1985.

Upon graduation, Ken began working as an Economic Analyst for Tosco, an oil company. He worked for many years in the financial industry, serving as Senior Vice President for First Interstate Bank, Senior Vice President for Standard Chartered Bank and Managing Director/Head of the Fixed Income Department for Nomura Securities USA. His career took him to New York City, NY, before coming back to Los Angeles, CA. Ken was a pioneer in inventing new financial risk management products for these firms. Later in his career, Ken focused on stock market investing.

In his free time, Ken loved watching golf, tennis, Los Angeles Dodgers baseball, as well as UCLA basketball & football games with his friends and family. Throughout his life, he attended hundreds of major sporting events, including the World Series, the Rose Bowl, the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the Masters and the U.S. Open, among others.

Ken traveled the world, visiting all seven continents during his lifetime. He safariied the African Serengeti, sailed the Amazon River, trekked the Wall of China, traversed the Antarctic Tundra, traveled the European cityscapes and roamed the Australian Outback.

When Ken wasn’t traveling or watching sports, he enjoyed hobbies of investing, collecting fine wine and hiking the Santa Monica Mountains. He liked listening to Classic rock and West Coast hip-hop music.

Ken was very involved through donations and time with ocular melanoma research and support for people afflicted with it. He helped provide financial support for travel to the best ocular melanoma facility in the country for people who could not afford it. He paid for 500-600 trips, which for some of these people removed the barrier to care, gave them hope and even saved their lives.

A friend to many, Ken was known for his laid-back attitude and level-headedness, while also being a generous and humorous person. He was a wonderful son, brother, uncle and friend who will be missed.

Ken is survived by his sisters, Sharon Luker of Plano, Texas; Carol (James) Walsh of Flat Rock, North Carolina; brother Donald Luker of Gurnee, Illinois; niece Timarie Luker of San Marcos, Texas; and nephews Tyler Luker of Plano, Texas and Zachary Luker of LaPorte, Indiana.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents.

There will be a Celebration of Life gathering for Ken on April 26 at his home in Los Angeles.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to The Eye Cancer Foundation, 115 East 61st Street, Suite 5B, New York, NY 10065.

https://www.pledge.to/organizations/13-4015076/the-eye-cancer-foundation