Francis L. “Buck” Luke, 90, of Tifton, Georgia, died Saturday, April 29, 2017, at his residence.
Funeral services will be held 2 PM, Friday, May 5, 2017, at The Paulk Funeral Home Chapel in Fitzgerald with Pastor Bryan Luke officiating. Interment will follow in Mt. Paron Cemetery in Berrien County. The family will receive friends from 6-8 Thursday evening at the funeral home in Fitzgerald.
Mr. Luke was born September 3, 1926, in Irwin County, Georgia to the late W.D. “Buford”, Sr. & Ollie Harper Luke. He attended school in Berrien County. Mr. Luke served his country honorably in the United States Navy for four years and later joined the United States Army, retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer (CW3) after 21 years of service. He managed Davis Brothers Café in Tifton and worked as head of the food service department at the former Ben Hill-Irwin Technical School. His career in food service began at Fort Benning’s cooking school. He served as a food technician at Fort Lee and food service instructor at Fort Benning. He was food adviser for the U.S. Embassy at Taiwan, club secretary at the U.S. Embassy at Saigon and food adviser to the Republic of Korea Army. He later owned and operated the Side Door Café and AlJos. Mr. Luke was an avid car fanatic and loved to cook for his family. He was of the Baptist faith.
He is survived by his children and their spouses: Jimmie Wayne Luke & Debra of Anchorage, Alaska, Patsey Elane Cherry & Roger of Battleground, Washington, William Lamar Luke of Tifton, and Bryan Richard Luke & Laurie of Wilcox County; grandchildren and their spouses: Corey Luke of Anchorage, Alaska, Greg & Emily Luke of Eagle River, Alaska, Rebeca & Gary Bryson of Soldotna, Alaska, Kimberly & Bryan Rice of Beaverton, Oregon, Melissa & Rhonda Ayers-Cherry of Vancouver, Washington, Candace Lynn Branch of Atlanta, Misty & Lee McDuffie of Tifton, Clayton Lee Nichols & Sabina of Stone Mountain, Virginia Elizabeth “Ginny” Frances Luke of Fitzgerald, Amanda Handley of Fitzgerald, and Evan Luke of Augusta; great-grandchildren: Treva Brynn Rice, Emma Anne Rice, Aliyah Waterworth, Michael Waterworth, Raphael Luke, Owen Luke, Reese Luke, Cole Bryson, Caitlyn Bryson, Caleb Bryson, Will Luke, Chloe McDuffie, Gavin McDuffie, Kaytlin Branch, Hally Branch, Myesha Mallory, Shondreka Luke, Tiara Mallory, Caleb Nichols, Germany Nichols, Cooper Nichols, Alanna Reneah Marie Luke, Luke Handley, and Raylee Luke; siblings and their spouses: Marjorie Griffin of Jacksonville, Florida, Melvin Luke of Nashville, R.M. & Shirley Luke of Nashville, Betty Jo Perrine of Jacksonville, Florida, Lucy & Nelson Tucker of Alapaha, Evelyn Griffin of Nashville, and Brenda & James Henderson of Ambrose. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, A. Virginia Richardson Luke; two grandsons, Ryan Leamon Cherry and Jeremy Stuart Luke; and three brothers, W.D. Luke, Jr., Cleatice Luke, and Nathaniel “Sam” Luke.