Owen Lemuel Luckey Jr.

Owen Lemuel Luckey, Jr., a man whose presence could fill any room he walked into, passed away peacefully in Edmonton, Kentucky, after a brief but courageous battle with pneumonia, a fight made harder by the lasting effects of Agent Orange exposure from his service in Vietnam. He was 81 years old.

Born and raised in Fort Myers, Florida, Owen grew up to become exactly the kind of man his community could count on — towering in both stature and character. He was hard to miss, and once you knew him, impossible to forget.

Owen answered his country’s call not once, but twice, serving two tours of duty in Vietnam as a United States Marine. It was a source of immense pride that he carried with him every day of his life. He returned home carrying not only his honor, but also the grief of losing his beloved brother, Jimmy Luckey, who was killed in Vietnam at just 20 years old — a sacrifice the Luckey family bore with quiet, enduring dignity.

After his service, Owen channeled that same discipline and tenacity into the law. He practiced as an attorney in LaBelle, Florida for over forty years, building a reputation as a fierce and dedicated advocate. Outside the courtroom, he was equally formidable — an avid big game hunter who loved the outdoors and never passed up a chance to be out in the wild.

But ask anyone who knew him, and they’ll tell you the same thing: Owen Luckey was loudest when it came to the people he loved. He was boisterous, outspoken, and completely unapologetic about it — because every bit of that noise was rooted in a deep, unshakeable devotion to his family. He was their protector, their anchor, and their biggest champion.

At the center of Owen's life stood Kathleen Dillon Luckey, his wife of 60 years and the love he found on a fishing pier in Fort Myers, Florida. Their story wasted no time — Owen knew what he wanted. He proposed after just two days, and the two were married within four months, a courtship that included only a handful of dates and one deployment in between. While Owen served overseas, they kept their bond alive the old-fashioned way: through letters, written back and forth across the miles.

From the very beginning, Kathleen was more than a partner — she was the foundation everything else was built on. She worked to put Owen through college, kept the home, raised the children, and held the family steady through every season of life. Their marriage was not without its storms, as any long and honest love story will have, but they met every one of them together and came out the other side still standing, still choosing each other. Owen was loud and larger than life, but it was Kathleen who gave all of that life its meaning. Sixty years, three children, nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren later, theirs was a love that proved itself not in grand gestures, but in the quiet, daily faithfulness of two people who simply refused to give up on each other.

He leaves behind his son, Jimmy Luckey of Minnesota; his daughters Jennifer Shields (Joey) of Edmonton, Kentucky, and Mary Luckey-Hamilton (Michael) of Minnesota.

Owen was a proud grandfather to Joshua Pierce (Bree), Emmalee Pierce, Madison Pierce (Dominique Zaruba), Jacob Pierce (Brianna), Daniel Pierce (Madison), Caleb Shields, Nate Pringle, Jeremy Pringle (Taylor), and Megan Pringle. He was also a great-grandfather to Hunter, Alexisshae, Owen, Jasper, Wyatt, Scarlett, Wesley, Cora, and Greyson — including a great-grandson who carries his name and, no doubt, a little of his fire.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Owen Luckey Sr. and Alfreda Luckey; his brother, Jimmy Luckey, killed in action in Vietnam at the age of 20; and his sister, Regina Johnson.

Owen Lemuel Luckey, Jr. was a Marine, a lawyer, a hunter, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a great-grandfather. He was loud because he loved loudly. He was big because big things were required of him. And he leaves behind a family — and a legacy — as large as the man himself.

Semper Fidelis, Owen. Rest easy, Marine.

Funeral services for Mr. Luckey will be held 11:00 AM Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Butler Funeral Home in Edmonton with burial in the Metcalfe County Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM Tuesday and after 8:00 AM Wednesday until time of the service here at the funeral home. 

Butler Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted to the care of Mr. Owen Luckey.