William (Bill) James Lucas

William (Bill) James Lucas, 93, of Hobe Sound, FL, and formerly of Butler, PA, passed away on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, at home. He was born in Butler on June 17, 1924, of immigrant Italian parents, the late Andrew (Andrea) and Laura (Aurelia) Lucas (Lucchesi.) Bill was a World War II veteran, having served in the U. S. Army Air Corps from 1943 until 1947. During his service he was stationed at various posts in England and worked as an Air Traffic Controller. Upon returning to Butler after the war, he took correspondence courses to obtain his surveying license and worked for the State of Pennsylvania and in a family business. He later operated his own business, Lucas Engineering and Associates, in Butler for many years. After retiring, he and his wife, became “snow birds”, splitting their time between Butler and Hobe Sound. Bill was a former member of the VFW and the Lions Club in Butler and attended St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church. In his younger years, he was an avid bowler and loved to play golf. In Florida, Bill was a member of the Ridgeway Theater Group from 1993 until present and just completed a solo singing appearance in a show in March of this year. Bill also enjoyed cheering on his favorite Pittsburgh sports teams, building puzzles, and playing cards and bocci with his friends in Florida. Surviving are a daughter, Carol Anne (Paul) Means of Butler, a son, William Vincent (Patricia) Lucas of Tallahassee, FL; 8 grandchildren, Sean Lucas, Stacy Tramel, Timothy Lucas, Christopher Steiner, Stephen Steiner, Richard Conner, Alexander Means, and Jennifer Lucas; 6 great grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews. Bill was preceded in death by his wife Edith, whom he married on December 22, 1945, in England; a son, Frank Phillip Lucas; a daughter, Edna Jean Conner; and all of his siblings, Harry, Tony, Ann, Austin, “Gab”, Alice, Tilda, and Inez. Friends will be received at Young Funeral Home, Ltd., 127 W. Jefferson St., Butler, on Monday, April 9, 2018 from 6-8PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Michael the Archangel Church, 432 Center Ave., Butler at 10AM. Interment in Crown Hill Cemetery with Military Honors by VFW#249 and American Legion #778.