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Bill S. Lukehart April 8, 1932 - June 19, 2013

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The Lukehart family and the community of La Canada lost an icon June 19, 2013. Bill S. Lukehart, loving husband and father, passed away at age 81 after a rough year of illness. Bill passed away peacefully and went to be with his Lord and Saviour with his wife of 58 years, Trudy, and daughters Suzanne and Wendy by his side.

Bill was born in Laural, Iowa in 1932. Bill started his young adulthood as a Marine serving from 1952 to 1960 where, while stationed at Camp Lejeune he met and married Trudy Grayham Shepard from North Carolina. Bill and Trudy moved back to his home state of Iowa to start their family and finish his education in Cedar Falls. Bill and Trudy moved from Iowa to California in 1957 settling in La Canada in 1963.

Bill’s community contributions were vast as he was one of the founding faculty that opened La Canada High School, serving for 30 years, not only as a biology teacher, but a coach for Basketball, Football, Golf and was a mentor to many. Bill was the Head Coach for the Spartan Boys Basketball program 1966-1980 and took the program to many league championships including runner up for a CIF State Championship in 1973.

Beginning in 1972 Bill also served countless hours protecting our community as a reserve deputy sheriff with the Cresenta Valley Sheriffs station and retired in 1992 at the rank of Captain after 30 years of service.

Bill’s love of traveling took his family of four children on many camping adventures across the United States creating endless memories for them all, and many new friends were made along the way. Their oldest daughter, Jessica, learned how to drive in a campground up in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Many summers were spent skiing and fishing at their summer home in Katherine’s Landing at Lake Mohave. In his later years Bill and Trudy camped by motor home where they continued to travel across the country and ended up loving a local favorite at Rincon Parkway along the beach north of Ventura where he and Trudy spent many happy relaxing trips.

He is survived by: his loving and dedicated wife Trudy, children: Suzanne & Cody Morrow, Wendy & Dennis Stowe, son-in-law Bob & Michelle Hilt, and Bill & Elisabeth Lukehart. Grandchildren: Nick & Bree Morrow, Jessica Warner, Brad Morrow, Amanda Morrow, Grayham Stowe, Brandon Stowe, Lisa & Jason Belgarde, & Megan, Blake and Brice Lukehart. Great Grand Children: Hazel & Weston Morrow, Dylan & Colton Stowe, Emily & Jeremy Belgarde. Sister Barbara Kibler and her daughters Kristie Mathews and Kathy McFaden. Bill is preceded in death by his oldest daughter, Jessica, who was killed in the line of duty as a Flight-For-Life rescue nurse in Las Vegas, NV.

His family and friends will be celebrating his life August 3, 2013. Contact wendywws@aol.com for information. In lieu of flowers please make a donation in memory of Bill to his favorite charity: Wounded Warrior Project www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

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