Nick George Lukes was born on August 25, 1926 and fell asleep in the Lord July 30, 2023. He was drafted for World War II in his senior year of high school and served in the Intelligence division for the United States of America. He later served in the Korean War. He returned stateside to attend Alabama Polytechnic Institute and upon completing his Mechanical Engineering degree in 1953, he worked for the US Army Core of Engineers for 38 and a half years. Nick married Genie Lardas in the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Pittsburgh on November 23, 1956.
Nick is known and loved for the many years of service and love he poured into his church, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Mobile. He worked tirelessly on seating charts, ticket sales, and more for the annual Greek Night. When Greek Night evolved into the annual Greek Festival, Nick continued to serve this ministry and event. As one of many Nicks in his church, he and his Nick-named friends collaborated to pioneer the St. Nick Name Day Celebration, an event that invites parishioners to honor St. Nicholas's name day on December 6th with good food, Greek dancing, and quality time together. Nick also served his church as a parish council member and continued to work and support the church all his life.
Nick was essential in representing the Greek booth at the Mobile International Festival, chairing the table for many years, welcoming any and all to talk about what's so Greek to them and inviting them to learn more about an ancient culture that prevails even today. Nick was an active member of the Pan-Icarian Brotherhood and an active member of AHEPA. As a founding member of the Hellenic Society Paideia, he helped bring about the Tholos replica still standing on the University of South Alabama's campus today.
Nick and his wife were patrons of and greatly enjoyed the Mobile Opera for many years. They were also members of the Mobile Rock and Gem Society. Nick was fond of keeping the Greek and Opera records in his home spinning all day.
He was always welcoming to any new face he saw, eager to meet and greet folks and help them feel like part of the community right away. Frequently he would invite folks that he'd met that very morning to have lunch at his own home. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He was known and is remembered for his kindness and humility and for being the very definition of a gentle man.
Nick is preceded in death by his wife Genie, parents George and Maria, brother William, and sister Evangelia Kordomenos. He is survived by his sisters Anna Hartzes and Bess Collias, children Mary Lukes, Dr. George (and Sophia) Lukes, Suzanne (and Mark) Erwin, Cynthia (and Todd) Hall, and Valerie (and Tim) Cockrell, and grandchildren Nick (and Madeline) Hall, Owen Cockrell, Marika Hall, Theophilos Cockrell, Cole Blaise Hall, and Alisa Erwin.
August 25, 1926 — July 30, 2023
The visitation will be held at 10 am with the funeral to follow at 11 am at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Mobile on Thursday, August 3, 2023. His final resting place will be in Mobile Memorial Gardens.
