Lucas, who died at 64, ‘gave his all’

Published 2:00 pm Thursday, June 6, 2013

Luke D. Lucas, a longtime teacher, guidance counselor and coach in Iberia Parish, died Sunday in New Iberia at age 64.

Lucas, a native of New Iberia, served in the U.S. Army from 1969 until he was wounded in combat May 5, 1970, during the Vietnam War. He was treated in military hospitals for two years before he returned to his hometown.

Lucas lost both of his legs in battle, but he used his injury as motivation to accomplish his goals and to brighten the lives of others around him, said Therese Segura, a friend of more than 20 years and former New Iberia City Councilwoman.

“He never let that get him down, and in fact, I believe that motivated him more than anything to become what he did become,” Segura said.

Lucas was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Parachute Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the state of Louisiana Veterans Honor Medal.  

Claire Mire, a friend of Lucas’ mother and grandmother, said he was a unique person because he did not let his injury make him bitter.

“He really gave his all. He not only served his country, but he served New Iberia and the people in the city,” Mire said.

Lucas earned a Bachelor of Science in agriculture in 1976 from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He worked for Cajun Archery and the Social Security Administration before becoming self-employed as a flooring installer.

He returned to the university and earned a Bachelor of Science in science education and began his teaching career. He taught at Belle Place Middle School and New Iberia Senior High, where he also coached the girls’ softball team.

He earned a master’s degree in counseling and in 1999 he became a guidance counselor at NISH. Lucas became a licensed professional counselor and licensed marriage and family therapist. He opened a private counseling practice in October 2001 and earned recognition as a National Certified School Counselor.

Lucas also was a counselor at the Iberia Parish Career Center where he worked with Evelyn Bourque, a barber instructor at the campus who formed a close bond with him.

Bourque said her brother committed suicide two years ago and although she was reluctant to talk about it at first, Lucas helped her deal with the sorrow and pain. He also helped her parents and her children, she said, all for free and on his own time.  

“I felt like he touched every person in my family. He’s been a big inspiration to me, and my mother feels like he saved her life,” she said.

Bourque’s mother, Barbara Menard, said he helped her family tremendously. She said he helped her understand how to cope with the loss of her son and how to put it aside to move on with life.

“He was just so sympathetic, and he was sympathetic in the fact that he had been through so much in his life and he could understand sorrow,” Menard said.

Menard said Lucas was a rare type of person because he was able to put his own suffering aside to help others. She said he was “an angel” and she feels blessed that she was able to recently write him a letter thanking him for all of his help.

Lucas is survived by his wife of 28 years, Belinda Charpentier; his daughters Katie Broussard, Alison Charpentier and Sarah Meche, five grandchildren, and his mother, Juliette Lucas.