Helene Ruth Lucker

Helene Ruth Lucker, 85 of St. Joseph passed away Monday, May 27th at Lakeland Hospital. A Celebration of Life Service will be held for her at 10:00 a.m. Friday, May 31 at Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Joseph, followed by burial at Riverview Cemetery, and then returning to the church reception hall for an informal gathering afterward. Visitation for friends and family will be held at Starks and Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph on Thursday, May 30th between the hours of 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. Those wishing to share a memory of Helene online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Helene was born to the parents of Adolf and Olga Rapske on October 20, 1927 in Treuburg, Germany (East Prussia at that time). She was the youngest of nine children and lived on a small farm as a child, later immigrated to the United States with her mother Olga in 1952, and married Thomas Lucker in 1962. Helene will be remembered most as a thoughtful and caring person who had a wildly optimistic outlook on life, a generous heart, and a truly unshakeable faith. Her greatest love was her husband and children and her greatest inspiration was her mother. Helene was a very elegant lady who could greet everyone with a nice word and a smile, found profound pleasure growing flowers in her yard, and enjoying the company of animals. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church for 61 years and her faith in Christ was a rock that provided a solid foundation for her and her family throughout her lifetime. Helene was a devout and loving wife of Thomas for nearly 40 years, adored by her children and grandchildren, and enjoyed many close family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents Olga and Adolf Rapske, all but one of her siblings, Alice Nixdorf of Charlotte, NC, and widowed by her husband Thomas in 2002. She is survived by her children Monica Lucker and Daniel Lucker, daughter in-law Gina LoPresti Lucker, and grandchildren Ryan and Cara Lucker.