After a brief illness, Leonard Paul Lukas passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family in Sundre, Alberta, on June 24, 2021, at the age of 89 years.
Leonard was born on June 2, 1932 in Calgary, the eldest of two sons born to Lithuanian parents Peter (Lukosius) Lukas and Teodora (Zekys) Lukas, who had arrived in Canada in 1926 and 1928, respectively. In the early years, the Lukas family lived in Calgary while Peter worked for farmers in rural Alberta. Then, when the Great Depression made it hard to find work, Peter and Teodora, with five-year-old Leonard, moved east to Montreal in the pursuit of more stable employment. With Peter working in a steel foundry and Teodora sewing in sweatshops, the family saved enough money to move back out west and establish a farm of their own.
In the fall of 1947, they bought their farm in the James River area, north of Sundre. They purchased a half section of land for $3,000 and had three cows, one team of horses, a wagon, and a set of sleighs. From this humble beginning, optimism and hard work kept the farm developing and moving forward in spite of hardships including poor cattle prices, and disastrous hail storms in the 1950s and 1960s. The family found that a mixed farming operation was going to be the best way to secure the farm and provide for the family.
During the 1972 Grey Cup broadcast, Leonard had to take his father to the Sundre General Hospital, and that was when he first met his future bride Jean, who was working there as a registered nurse. The couple was married on August 18, 1973 in Calgary, Alberta. They had two children, Sandra, born in 1975 and Carl born in 1976. Progressive for the times in his role as a father, Leonard took care of the kids on Saturday and Sunday evenings while Jean continued to work at the Sundre Hospital. The kids recall watching him weld and fix things in the quonset, taking nature walks designed to make for an early bedtime, and frequently, Leonard, Sandra and Carl got in on hearty traditional Lithuanian meals at Grandpa and Grandma Lukas’s. The Lukas family’s strong Lithuanian heritage enabled the language, culture, and foods from the Old Country to be shared with the next generation. Today, fond memories of these and many other good times together are cherished by those of us who were fortunate enough to experience them.
Leonard and his father Peter operated the farm as a partnership into the late 1970s, at which time Leonard took the lead and farmed into the mid-2000s. In the spring of 2006, Leonard entered semi-retirement when the last of his Hereford cattle were sold off and pieces of equipment were let go, while mainstays such as his Massey-Ferguson 65 and his John Deere dozer remain to this day.
Leonard and Jean’s 48 years together culminated in their move to Sundre in 2013, where they built a new home together. Here they enjoyed the rewards of retirement, particularly the company of family, long time friends, and the start of new friendships within their local community. Leonard and Jean counted themselves lucky to keep the farm and be able to engage with the best parts of farm life, now on a leisurely basis.
While the seasonal demands of farming had always been a driving force in Leonard’s daily activities, in retirement his knack for mechanics, welding, and woodwork continued to stimulate his natural creativity, sharp mind, and problem-solving mindset. Whether it was fabricating farm equipment, getting machinery up and running again, or creating just the right grill for a campfire pit, he derived satisfaction throughout his life by overcoming the challenges dealt to him by need, circumstance, nature, or “just the way things go” when farming.
Leonard treasured the partnership he had with Jean. In the close and good-humoured way he related to his children, their spouses, and his grandchildren, he showed his love by listening, spending time together, giving thoughtful gifts, offering the farm and his workshop as places to plan activities and try out ideas, and recognizing his family for their endeavours whether they succeeded, failed, or ended up somewhere in between.
Described by many after his passing as a truly “good man”, Leonard’s guidance was imparted subtly by setting a fine example, always striving to take the high road, and accepting each of us for who we are. Leonard’s family remembers his hard work, perseverance, ingenuity, and an insatiable interest in life-long learning in a broad range of interest areas.
Leonard is predeceased by his father (Peter, 1988), mother (Teodora, 2006) and cousin Ruth (Bob) Youngs (2008, 2010). He is survived by his wife Jean Lukas, his daughter Sandra (Jeff) Amulung and son Carl (Kim) Lukas; grandchildren Regan, Vivian, Juliet, Avery and Erik; brother Vic (Judy) Lukas, nieces Cindy and Kim and nephew Rick; cousins Albert (Dorothy) Lucas and Leonard (Martha) Lucas.
In keeping with Leonard’s wishes, a small graveside service was held at Sundre and District Cemetery on June 28, 2021.
The family of Leonard Lukas asks that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to the Alberta Cancer Foundation. Heartland Funeral Services Ltd. Olds is entrusted with arrangements – 403-507-8610. Condolences and tributes may be sent and viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com.

*An article entitled Spotlight on Sundre: Leonard Lukas (Sundre Round-up, December 16, 1998) will be posted here in the coming days. Please check back to view it.

• Date : 2021-06-30
• Location : www.ParklandFuneralHome.com & www.HeartlandFuneralServices.com