Thomas John Lucas

Born on October 23, 1946, in Cleveland, OH, Tom grew up with his two younger siblings and graduated from Collinwood High School in 1965. He went on to proudly serve his country in the United States Navy from 1966 to 1970, with his final active-duty assignment aboard the USS Kirwin.

Tom dedicated his life to service and protection. After his military service, he joined the Cleveland Police Department in 1970 for his rookie year. He then moved to Florida in 1971, serving with the Lighthouse Point Police Department before saying he needed more action and joined the Miami-Dade Police Department (then Metro-Dade) in 1982. He remained a dedicated officer there until his retirement in 2006.

Outside of his career, Tom was a man of many passions. He was an avid hunter who spent every November in West Virginia and a talented carpenter who could build anything. He liked jumping out of perfectly good airplanes skydiving, always owned a Harley Davidson motorcycle, and rebuilt the engine of his Jalopy, a 1923 Ford T-Bucket. He also had a gentle spirit, spending many nights feeding the wild raccoons that would come out of the woods when he would call "C'mon guys!".

Tom was preceded in death by his father, Clarence (Bud); his mother, Jean; and his brother, Jim. He is survived by his daughter, Jessica; his grandchildren, Derek and Devyn; and his sister, Diane.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life, with details to be announced in the coming days. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that those who wish to express sympathy consider making a donation to support his grandchildren. Details on how to contribute can be directed to Jessica Santiago.