Thomas Michael Luckay

Tom Luckay, beloved and cherished husband of Margaret (nee Thoren) passed suddenly on January 15 after a brief illness. He was known throughout the Chagrin Valley for his kind, gentle, loving, and intelligent service to the public through his 30-year career at Chagrin Pet, Garden, and Power Supply.  Ever buoyant and loyal, he had many circles of friends – each circle built around one of his many interests:  slow-pitch softball, bowling, theater, music, and his church, First Church of Christ, Scientist, Chagrin Falls, where he lovingly served in many capacities.  He especially valued his post as greeter and was on duty with his welcoming smile just two weeks before he passed. In 1948 when Tom was a toddler, his parents bought a small farm on Solon Road and the family moved from Shaker Heights to Chagrin Falls.  It became his beloved hometown. At two years old he impressed relatives with his ability to sing the hit song of the day, “Buttons and Bows,” on pitch and lyric-perfect.  His friends may recall his knack for reciting the whimsical parodies he wrote about daily school life, teachers, and classmates.  This pattern continued through high school and on to the Marine Corps where he was known to have actually made the Bull Dog smile. After military service -- which included running a radio station on the Navy base in Iceland -- he enrolled at Kent State University majoring in telecommunications and minoring in English.  Along with the GI Bill, he financed his education by working as a milkman for Dean Dairy.  He loved having his own business on his truck and was one of the Dairy’s top salesmen.  He graduated cum laude from Kent in 1973. Circumstances led him to a career in retail sales and later a management position at Chagrin Pet, Garden, and Power Supply.  He retired from the company in 2010 after thirty years of service.  Through his daily contact with the public, he earned a reputation for honesty, integrity, and steady good humor.  CP&G owner Ted Kruse wept when he left. Besides music, Tom’s avocations included being a scratch bowler, an avid slow-pitch softball player, and – after forty years of play – a dedicated softball umpire.  He loved history.  His encyclopedic memory for dates and Major League Baseball statistics is legendary.  And his trenchant insights, always laced with a unique twist of humor, will be sorely missed by all his friends. He reconnected with classmate Margaret Thoren at their thirtieth class reunion in 1994; but each of them had caregiving responsibilities for parents, and so they didn’t marry until 2010.  Tom then moved from his family home on North Street to the Thoren family farm in Russell.  In the Village, he was known as a caring and dependable neighbor.  He brought these tender qualities to his new home with characteristic exuberance. Tom lived in lyrics – his own and those of the great writers he admired.  But it wasn’t until just a few years ago that he realized he could compose melodies as well.  Uncovering this new talent led him to write a suite of songs about his beloved Chagrin Falls.  Like Irving Berlin, he could neither read music nor write notes on a musical score.  But working with collaborator, Marge Adler, he produced the CD “If Chagrin Could Sing” which was launched last November.  He was thrilled to have the support of his classmate John Bourisseau, president of the Chagrin Falls Historical Society, to make the CD project a fundraiser to help the Society reach its financial goal. Tom loved Chagrin Falls and the unselfishness and goodness of its residents.  Writing a musical tribute to the town and being able to contribute to the Historical Society was, for him, a dream come true.  His gratitude to God for opening the way for this project to come to fruition knew no bounds. There will be a private interment service with a public memorial to be held this summer.  Contributions in his name can be made to Bainbridge Food for Friends, 17826 Chillicothe Road, Chagrin Falls, OH  44023. Arrangements by Stroud~Lawrence Funeral Home Chagrin Falls, OH. www.stroudlawrence.com

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