John Ernest Lucken, 84, long time Akron resident passed away peacefully on May 23, 2024, at the Akron Care Center.

Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Akron, Iowa. Military Honors will be provided by the Hoschler American Legion Post 186 of Akron. Visitation and refreshments will be held in the church basement following the service. Arrangements are with the Rexwinkel Funeral Home in Akron. Expressions of sympathy can be extended to the family through www.rexwinkelfh.com.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to one of many Akron charities including the Akron Children's Center, and the Akron Community Foundation.

He was born on October 11, 1939, at the old Akron hospital to Merle and Ernest Lucken. He grew up on the family farm east of Akron, with his younger sisters Julie, Carol, and Mary Beth. John attended country school until the 8th grade and graduated from Akron High School in 1957. After high school he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Dix in Washington D.C. where he was a staff driver responsible for taking personnel to and from places like the Pentagon. In 1958, he enrolled at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois to pursue a bachelor's degree in geology. It was there that he met Mary Thorson of Denver, Colorado. John graduated from college in 1962 and went on to pursue a master's degree from the University of Kansas. During summer geology camps he was introduced to Wyoming and the Western U.S., and his love of the outdoors began and grew. After graduating from the University of Kansas in 1964 he married the love of his life, Mary Thorson. He also took a job with the Mobile Oil Company and moved with his new bride to Casper, Wyoming. In 1967, their little family grew with the arrival of their daughter, Helen Katherine.

In 1968, John took a new job and the three of them moved to Denver, Colorado where they could also be close to Mary's parents, Ed and Dorothy Thorson. In 1970, their family grew once more with the arrival of their son, Rustin Thorson. John joined the Denver Rotary chapter (whose motto is "Service Above Self") where he took part in and led dozens of local and international philanthropic projects. John and Mary also joined Bethany Lutheran Church which became an integral part of their lives during the entire time they lived in Colorado. He continued to foster his love of the outdoors, fly fishing with his father-in-law Ed, going on family camping trips in his Volkswagen van, and eventually building a mountain house near Fairplay, Colorado. He met his best friends through their common love of the outdoors and maintained those bonds his entire life.

They remained in Denver until 2000 when they bought the Ross House (now the Akron Museum) and moved back to Akron to be close to his mother. He loved getting reacquainted with the Akron community. He served on Akron City Council for one term, took part in lots of private small business initiatives, and began farming at the young age of 65. He loved going to Akron High School sports events, going to the Scarecrow Festival, and attending "Class of 1957" reunions. Like his father Ernie, John was an entrepreneur. He helped start quite a few small businesses both here in Iowa and in Denver. He loved to hear about new business ideas and try to figure out ways to make them succeed. John and Mary looked for opportunities to contribute where there was a need. The Akron Care Center that takes such excellent care of its residents (recently including John) was built on a few acres of John's farmland.

John loved fly fishing, geology, the Rocky Mountains, the Loess Hills, rivers, lakes, and fields. He also rooted for the underdog, was fiercely independent, valued community and treasured family. He wore many hats: geologist, farmer, entrepreneur, stay at home dad, business owner, volunteer, conservationist, mentor, brother, father, grandfather, husband, and friend.

John Ernest Lucken was preceded in death by his mother Merle Rustin Lucken, his father Ernest Gerhard Lucken, and his sister Mary Beth Jirsak.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 59 years, Mary Thorson Lucken, his daughter Helen Lucken Raymond (Jim Raymond), his son Rustin Thorson Lucken (Susan Lucken), and granddaughters Paige and Beth Raymond and Makenzie and Ruby Lucken. He is also survived by sisters Julie Schmitz, and Carol Bean.