Raleigh Odell Lucas, Jr.

Raleigh Odell Lucas, Jr.

We will celebrate the life and legacy of Raleigh Odell Lucas,Jr., a beloved and well known retired educator on Friday, September 6, 2024, at the Morehouse Baptist Education Association Building, 8420 Collinston Road at 11:00 a.m. Rev. Mary Lucas will serve as the officiating minister. The interment will follow the services in H. V. Adams Cemetery. “A Gathering of Family and Friends will be held on Thursday, September 5, from three pm. to six pm. in the chapel of Loche’s Mortuary. To send flowers, words of condolences, plants, or light a candle, kindly see the directions to your left.

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Family and friends are asked to turn on emergency flashers as we travel to H. V. Adams.

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Profesor Raleigh Lucas (Teacher Raleigh (Lucas)

el hombre, el mito, la leyenda (the man, the myth, the legend)

Y ahora damas y caballeros, niños y niñas, les presento: el hombre, el mito, la leyenda.: Sr. Raleigh O. Lucas, el profesor de español

(And now ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I present to you: the man, the myth, the legend, Senor Raleigh Lucas, the Spanish teacher)

So, where did it start? How did his life begin? How did the life of Raleigh Odell Lucas, Jr. touch so many? How did this strong yet gentle, quiet yet exuberant life begin?

Well, go back some eighty years ago to 1943 to the north easternmost part of Louisiana, to the town of Bogalusa, LA. This name was derived from the Choctaw Indians. Bogalusa is in Washington Parish where the Bogue Lusa creek flows into the Pearl River, On October 22, 1943, Georgia Porter and Raleigh Odell Lucas, Sr. became the parents of a baby boy there. They named him Raleigh Odell Lucas, Jr. Some say that people born on October 22 are emotionally powerful and can control their feelings. They may not express much emotion in public, but are skilled at arousing emotions in others. The skills needed to be a teacher of foreign languages

Now, Raleigh attended Central Memorial High School in Bogalusa and continued his college experience at Southern University. It had always been his desire to teach, so it was only natural that he would pursue a degree in education. Even though he was rooted in the French tradition, Raleigh decided to go a step further and get a degree in Spanish, as well. That additional quest made him trilingual. He received his Bachelor’s, Masters,’ Plus 30 and Specialist degrees in areas that were not traditional ones for young black men of his era. But, there was nothing traditional about Raleigh Odell Lucas, Jr.

Graduating from his beloved Southern University, Raleigh decided to go north to Morehouse Parish where he began his teaching career at Union High School in Mer Rouge, LA. He later transferred to Bastrop High School. His students were fascinated by the amiable young black man who was so fluent in foreign languages. Because of this fascination, students flocked to his classes in hopes that they, too, would be able to speak other languages with such fluency.  At the beginning of each year, he would give each student a foreign name, and they would answer to that name ONLY for the entire year. Greetings at his door included: “Beunos dias, Roberto” (or whatever your Spanish name was). "Hola, Senor, Como,estas? " His conversations were so easy, and his ability to pass his enthusiasm to his students, that even the most hesitant students became fluent, and enjoyed learning and using their new language.

The highlight of the end of a school year was “The Spanish Club” trip to Texas to Spanish speaking cities. For many of his students who had never journeyed out of Louisiana, this trip was awesome. Funds were raised, bags were packed, and off went Sr. Lucas and those students (and chaperones) to visit places they had only read about in their textbooks. Even after graduation, many of his students would recount, with their families, the experiences they had, and the places they saw with Sr. Lucas.

Sr. Lucas was married to the love of his life for fifty-two years. Dianne Jackson Lucas. They

were blessed with five children: Jefferey, Deidre, Stephen, and the twins: Jonathan and Jennifer.

“Luke” as he was fondly called loved Southern University, the Southern University Alumni Association and the debonair gentlemen of the prestigious Club 21. An avid sports enthusiast, he loved basketball and football. He enjoyed talking and laughing with others. He was well-known for his special sauce while barbecuing. Now, Raleigh was a magician by nature and could be found doing magic tricks to the delight of his grandchildren, great grandchildren, and his friends. He enjoyed spending time with family, playing checkers, jacks, dominoes, spades, and was a bid whist master.

On August 27, 2024, Raleigh Odell Lucas,Jr. in the quiet of his home on Charline Street, bade farewell to loved ones and went home to be with God. Missing his wisdom, his noble character, and his fun-loving spirit are his beloved wife of 52 years, Dianne; his grateful children, his amazing grandchildren and great grandchildren, relatives, and a community who will always remember Raleigh Odell Lucas, Jr. and how he opened brand new worlds to them.

¡Buenas noches, Sr. Lucas!

Toma tu descanso

Gracias por ser un gran profesor !

Adios!

Good Night, Sr. Lucas!

Take your rest!

Thank you for being a great teacher!

Goodbye!

Raleigh Odell Lucas, Jr.  (80 years old)
Born: October 22, 1943 (Bogalusa, LA)
Died: August 27, 2024

Funeral Services will be held on Friday, September 6, 2024 at 11AM at Morehouse Baptist Association Center. Burial will be at H.V. Adams Cemetery. Repast will be at New Jerusalem Fellowship Building.

 

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