Donald "Luke" Lucas Hyatt II

Donald Lucas "Luke" Hyatt II, 58, passed away on June 26, 2026, at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System Hospice Unit (New Orleans VA Hospital) following a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born on October 23, 1967, in Shreveport, Louisiana, to Donald Adams Hyatt and Sally Mary Williams Hyatt.

Known simply as "Luke" to his family and friends, he grew up in Shreveport surrounded by a close-knit circle of lifelong friends. During his teenage years, he was recognized as a Gifted and Talented student whose exceptional debating skills took him to competitions at colleges and universities throughout the country. He also spent several summers attending Louisiana's Governor's Program for Gifted Children in Lake Charles, an experience that left a lasting impression on him. He graduated from Caddo Magnet High School in 1985.

Luke attended Centenary College of Louisiana, where he graduated magna cum laude with a double major in Political Science and History. While at Centenary, he was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and was recognized as the Distinguished Military Graduate during his senior year. He entered active duty as a Second Lieutenant in May 1989 and completed the Armor Officer Basic Course at Fort Knox, Kentucky before serving with B Company, 2nd Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division in Schweinfurt, Germany.

Following his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in March 1991, Luke attended Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, where he served on both the Moot Court Staff and the Loyola Law Review. He graduated cum laude, ranked eighth in his class, and was admitted to the Louisiana Bar. Over the course of a distinguished 29-year legal career, he practiced employment law, civil RICO litigation, professional licensing and board defense, and general civil litigation. He approached the profession with intellectual rigor, meticulous preparation, and a steadfast commitment to his clients. Deeply committed to justice, he believed in advocating for those whose voices too often went unheard and dedicated his career to standing beside people facing difficult circumstances.

Luke possessed an insatiable curiosity about the world. A lifelong reader, he loved politics, military history, philosophy, and classic literature. Among his favorite authors were Robert Penn Warren and F. Scott Fitzgerald. He was equally passionate about art, especially the works of John Singer Sargent—whose Madame X was his favorite painting—as well as the Dutch Masters. Following Hurricane Katrina, he discovered a deep passion for photography, using his camera to capture both the beauty of everyday life and the remarkable places he explored. He inspired in his children a lifelong appreciation for books, history, nature, art, and learning.

An avid traveler and outdoorsman, Luke found joy in hiking, camping, and exploring the world's natural beauty. He made it a personal goal to visit as many of America's national parks as possible and spent countless hours on mountain trails, in forests, and around campfires. Whether planning his next adventure, recommending a favorite book, or discussing history around a campfire, Luke never lost his curiosity about the world or his desire to learn something new. Even after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2025, he continued to embrace life through travel, visiting Italy, France, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. His determination to continue exploring reflected the resilience, curiosity, and adventurous spirit that defined him.

Luke was also well known within the Belgian Laekenois community as an accomplished breeder, exhibitor, and preservationist. His dogs earned numerous championships and national recognition, including honors at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. It was through his involvement with the breed that he met Nina, the beloved Laekenois who became his constant companion and, as those who knew him often joked, the love of his life.

Luke was preceded in death by his parents, Donald Adams Hyatt and Sally Mary Williams Hyatt.

He is survived by his daughter, Katarina Hyatt of Washington, DC; his sons, Donald L. Hyatt III and Michael Hyatt of New Orleans; his daughter, Binoche Hyatt of Perry, Maine; his brothers, Marshall Hyatt (Jennifer) of Marshall, Texas, and Dr. John David Hyatt (Paula) of Ashland, Oregon; his nephew and niece, Matthew Alexander Hayes of New Orleans and Nora Kate of Ashland, Oregon; the mothers of his children: Kimberly Hyatt of Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany; Mary Smalley of New Orleans; and Zan Currier of Perry, Maine and his best friend, Claudie "Bubba" Fanning.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 12, 2026, at Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home in Metairie, Louisiana. Visitation will begin at 11:00 a.m. The Reverend Fred Devall of St. Martin's Episcopal Church will officiate.

Honorary pallbearers are Donald L. Hyatt III, Michael A. Hyatt, Marshall Hyatt, Dr. John D. Hyatt, Jason Coutee, Carey Wicker, Ralph Capitelli, and Adlane Guenane. Honorary Paw-bearer: his beloved companion, Nina.

Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made in Luke's memory to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), the National Employment Law Project, The Trevor Project, or the Friends of the Governor's Program for Gifted Children.

The family extends its heartfelt gratitude to the physicians, nurses, and staff of MD Anderson Cancer Center, Ochsner Health, University Medical Center New Orleans, and particularly the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System—especially the Oncology, Palliative Care, and Hospice teams—for the exceptional compassion, expertise, dignity, and care they provided throughout Luke's illness. Their dedication brought comfort, hope, and peace to Luke and his family during an extraordinarily difficult journey.

Fond memories and words of condolences may be shared at www.leitzeaganfuneralhome.com.