Michael Stanley Lucas

Michael Stanley Lucas, 74, passed away on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in his house surrounded by friends and family, first it must be said: he was impossible to fully explain.  Those who knew him understand this immediately.  Those who did not probably would have stared at him for five minutes and understood it too.  Michael was one of one. When he entered a room, the room became more interesting, louder, more unpredictable and usually funnier.

He was born August 13, 1951, to Stanley and Helen Lucas.  Just like his father, he was the second of five children.  One of his memories after coming out of the womb was reportedly, “So these are my parents this time.”  That statement, depending on who heard it, either sounded deeply philosophical or completely insane.  Michael was comfortable living somewhere between the two.

He grew up in Norton working at Lucas Nursery alongside his father, Stanley, whose work ethic was legendary.  Michael inherited much from his father: the endurance, the independence, the tendency to speak directly, and occasionally the grouchiness.  But Michael added his own unusual flavor to life.  He attended and graduated from Kent State University, though anyone who knew him would tell you that no institution was ever fully prepared for Michael Lucas.

As a young man, he met Rebecca Loughry at Jimbo’s Drive-In in Norton.  He married Rebecca on February 28, 1976 and together they built a life and family that carried them through over fifty years of marriage.  They had three children: William, Paul, and Diane.  The loss of his son Paul in 2024 weighed heavily upon him, as did his brother, Tom years before, though he rarely spoke about pain directly.  Michael had his own methods for carrying sorrow.

Michael possessed the entrepreneurial spirit common in the Lucas family. After years around Lucas Nursery, he created his own amusement business, Lucas Music, placing arcade games, pinball machines, and jukeboxes throughout the area.  This suited him perfectly because he enjoyed machines, music, conversation, and wandering into places where interesting stories happened.  Later he founded Telco, a communications company providing pay telephones to businesses and public locations.  In another era, when payphones mattered and jukeboxes still held court in bars and restaurants, Michael fit naturally into the landscape.

He loved Bob Dylan and played his music often, loudly, and without asking if anyone else wanted to hear it. To Michael, that was beside the point.  Michael passing only a day before Bob Dylan’s birthday just fit the script.  He said what he thought regardless of consequence or reception. Sometimes he was brilliant. Sometimes he was outrageous. Sometimes he was absolutely correct in ways people only understood years later. And yes, sometimes he was crazy. He would likely appreciate the honesty of including that sentence.

It is difficult to summarize a man whose personality resisted summarization. Michael collected stories simply by existing. Friends and family could sit together for hours beginning sentences with, “Remember when Michael…” and everyone nearby would immediately lean in. He had a talent for creating moments people never forgot, whether they wanted to or not.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Stanley and Helen Lucas; his brother, Tom; and his son, Paul.

He is survived by his wife, Rebecca; son, William (Maria) Lucas; daughter, Diana “Dee” (Eric) Bechter; brother, Pat Lucas (Rebecca); sisters, Janet Schellhase and Marcia (Dave) Mushalek; and his beloved granddaughters, Natalie and Alba. Alba affectionately called him “Tickle Grandpa,” a title he wore with great pride.

Michael leaves behind a family that loved him, friends who are still trying to figure him out, and enough stories to keep him alive at dinner tables for generations.  There will never be another quite like him.

Michael’s funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 1 p.m. at the Campfield-Hickman-Collier Funeral Home, 566 W. Park Avenue, Barberton with Rev. Rod Grabski officiating.  Burial to follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park.  Michael’s family will receive friends from 12 Noon until time of his funeral service. 

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