Michael Joseph Lucas

Mike was born in Cleveland, Ohio on May 25, 1934 to John and Julia (née Babiak) Lucas and was the eldest of five children.

He graduated from Berea High School in 1951 and matriculated to The Ohio State University, where he majored in chemical engineering, graduating in 1955. After college, he moved to Chicago, Illinois where he worked for Standard Brands. After working in California for a year, he returned to the Chicago area and subsequently worked for over 30 years for Abbott Laboratories, in North Chicago, Illinois. Mike received several prestigious awards from Abbott Labs for his technical expertise in some of Abbott’s most successful projects. He greatly enjoyed being a part of the Abbott retiree community.

Mike was a member of the Church of St. Patrick in Wadsworth, Illinois for many years, singing in the choir, participating in Bible study, and participating in a program to provide religious instruction to children with special needs. Mike moved to Towson, Maryland in October, 2020, to be closer to his son and family.

Left to honor and remember Michael are his son Greg (Cynthia) Lucas, his stepdaughters Jennifer (Joe) Alexander and Kim Kite, his sister Joann Dimond, and five grandchildren: Ryan Kite, Nicholas Kite, Graham Lucas, Liam Lucas, and Jane Lucas. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, his former wife Jean Lucas, his brother Jim Lucas, his brother Jerome Lucas, his sister Judy Ward, and son-in-law, Ron Kite.

Mike will be remembered for his strong faith, dedication to the Catholic Church, and generosity to numerous charities and causes. He enjoyed tennis, downhill skiing, golf, and travel, including fondly remembered trips to Puerto Rico, Alaska, Rome, and Israel. Mike will also be remembered for his love of gadgets, the latest technology, and sports cars. One of the last things he said was that he’d had a good, long life, and had met a lot of nice people. He loved and was devoted to his children and grandchildren, never forgetting a birthday or special occasion. He was thrilled to be the sponsor for his grandson Graham’s confirmation in 2018, and was looking forward to the upcoming confirmation of his grandson Liam, and the first communion of his granddaughter Jane.

A Mass celebrating Mike’s life will be held on Friday, June 11, 2021 at 1:00 PM at the Church of St. Patrick, 15000 Wadsworth Road, Wadsworth, Illinois, 60083, with Father James Merold officiating. For those planning on attending the Mass, please call to register in advance, 847-244-4161. The family will welcome friends immediately following the Mass. Inurnment will be at Ascension Catholic Cemetery in Libertyville, Illinois. The family would like to extend our gratitude to the staff at Johns Hopkins Medicine, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and Stella Maris Hospice who helped care for Mike. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mike’s name to Catholic Relief Services, Fisher House of Rockville, Maryland, and the Church of St. Patrick in Wadsworth, Illinois.