“He was proud of my accomplishments and I was very proud of what he did,” said his older brother, Jerry Lucas, who is regarded as one of the greatest high school, college and professional basketball players in history.
“We were very, very close. He influenced thousands of lives. He really did.”
Lucas, who made his mark on the football field, died Aug. 26 at St. Elizabeth Hospice in Edgewood, Kentucky. He was 77.
He was an Associated Press Class AA second-team all-state end for the Middletown Middies in 1958, the same year he caught a 75-yard touchdown pass. His brother said that was the first touchdown pass ever completed in the spread offense run under legendary Coach Glenn “Tiger” Ellison.
He was offered a football scholarship to Ohio State University by Coach Woody Hayes. But a few weeks into his freshman season, Lucas approached his older brother, who was at OSU on a basketball scholarship, and told him, “This place is too big for me.”
He transferred to Morehead State, where he served as team captain as a senior. He returned to the area after graduating and taught health and was an football assistant coach at Erlanger Lloyd before being promoted to Juggernauts head coach in 1966.
He coached football for more than 40 years at Lloyd High School, Miami Trace High School, Morehead State University, West Virginia Technical College, Greenup County High School, Washington Courthouse High School, Newport High School, and Thomas More College.
Jerry Lucas said his brother was a no nonsense coach. His players had to be early for meetings, and if they cursed, they faced disciplinary action.
“He treated them like family,” Lucas said. “He loved them.”
Lucas was preceded in death by his parents, Mark and Jean Lucas.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Beverly Lucas of Erlanger; sons, Roy (Molly) Lucas Jr. of Independence, Ky., and Jerry (Ruth) Lucas of Shelbyville, Ky.; his brother, Jerry Lucas of Florida; and his sister-in-law, Gail Stamper of Lexington.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Erlanger Baptist Church in Erlanger followed by the funeral service at 1 p.m.. Burial will be at Bethel Cemetery.
About the Author
