Robert “Marion” Lucas, age 82, died on January 9, 2025 at the Miller County Care and Rehabilitation Center located in the beautiful countryside of rural Tuscumbia.
Marion, the third child of Robert “Kennie” Lucas and Goleria A. (née Gerkin) (Lucas) Merlenbach, was born at home March 6, 1942 in New Florence. Ten years later, his parents moved him and his two older sisters, Darla and Joyce, to a rural farm in Montgomery County, Missouri where Marion grew up and developed a lifelong love of animals and agricultural life. After graduating from Montgomery County R-II in 1960, Marion began work as a loan officer at a local bank, married his high school sweetheart, Marilyn (Moore) Lucas, became a member of the Montgomery City Methodist Church, and was blessed with the birth of his only child, Mitch Lucas. Over the course of the next 21 years of his time in Montgomery City, Marion enjoyed fishing, camping, traveling and carpentry work. He remained active in his community via the local Dairy Queen that he and his wife, Marilyn, owned and operated, his membership in the Jaycees, and his role as board member of the Montgomery County Fair.
After accepting the position of director of the Missouri State Fair in 1981, Marion met Fran (Burford) Gilmore who eventually became his 2nd wife in 1984. Marion resigned from the Missouri Fair in 1986, moved to Iowa to serve as director of the State Fair there until 2002, and then returned once again to serve as director of the Missouri State Fair from 2007 to 2009. During his retirement years, Marion could often be found at Perkin’s enjoying turkey and dressing with a side of pie or on the golf course with his friends. After being widowed in 2018, he fell in love with Mary Lee McGuire with whom he shared the most profound and endearing friendship of his life, and attended the Broadway Presbyterian Church.
Marion is preceded in death by his first wife, Marilyn; his second wife, Fran; and his parents Kennie Lucas and Goleria Merlenbach. He will be missed by his beloved sisters, Darla (Don McBride) Johnson and Joyce (Don) Shelton; his eternal best friend Mary Lee McGuire; his son, Mitch (Melissa) Lucas; his step children, Denise (Mark) Cockriel, Tammi (David) Frazer, Michael Gilmore, Russell Gilmore, and Melanie (Terry) Martin; his grandchildren, Shawn Cockriel, Amber Dalton, Caitlyn Frazer, Devin Frazer, Crystal Gilmore, Dillon Gilmore, Drew Gilmore, Jade Gilmore, Michaela Lucas, Amber Martin, Curtis Martin, Cherie Schiffmacher, and Rebecca Quick; his dear friend Jeremy Parsons & family; his golf buddies; and so many others. The legacy he leaves his family and friends was his passion for the fair and his generosity to those around him. Rather than sending memorial contributions to a specific organization, please remember Marion by paying forward a random act of kindness or an unexpected private financial gift to someone you notice around you that would be blessed by it. That’s exactly the sort of thing that Marion would often do.
“The King [Jesus] will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’’” (Matthew 25:40 NIV)
Arrangements are under the direction of Hedges-Scott-Millard Funeral Homes, 1270 S Business Route 5, Camdenton, MO 65020 (573) 346-2090. Condolences may be left online for the family at www.hedgesscottmillard.com.
