Dr. Paul Warren Lucas, 87, of Tifton passed away Sunday, September 29, 2002, at Tift Regional Medical Center. His funeral service was held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, October 3, 2002, in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton's First Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Wayne Roe and the Rev. Dr. W. Ches Smith, III officiating. Dr. Lucas was laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Honorary pallbearers were the members of the Good Will Sunday School Class at Tifton's First Baptist Church.
Born October 4, 1914, in Plymouth, North Carolina, Dr. Lucas was the son of the late William Lucas and Mittie Swain Lucas. He was also preceded in death by two brothers.
Dr. Lucas graduated from high school in 1932 at the age of 17 and entered Duke university the same years. After three years at Duke University, he was accepted into Duke University School of Medicine. He graduated from medical school on June 1, 1939, with a M.D. degree. On June 14, 1939, he married Ouida Young "Red".
In 1939, he received an internship at the United States Marine Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. His internship was in E.E.N.T. (eye, ear, nose and throat). In 1940, the Public Health Service assigned Dr. Lucas to sea duty in the North Atlantic Antisubmarine and Weather Patrol for 20 months. After service in the North Atlanta, he was transferred to the United States Marine Hospital in Texas and then to Staten Island, New York.
Dr. Lucas resigned his commission as Lieutenant Commander in June 1947, and stated practicing medicine in Wilson, North Carolina. On March 4, 1949, he moved to Tifton and began practicing medicine with Dr. Richard Winston. In 1952, he bought the practice and continued practicing medicine for over 50 years.
Dr. Lucas ran a successful practice and was also a community leader. He was a member of Tifton's First Baptist Church, where he taught the Good Will Sunday School Class for over 50 years. He also worked with Special Olympics, George Lions Lighthouse, Rehabilitation Department, Georgia Medical Association and the Tift County Board of Education. He also served in the United States Coast Guard.
"During these past years, my wife and children have enjoyed the association of the finest people in the world and again I state that we made a fine decision in coming to Tifton, Georgia". (Dr. Paul Lucas, 1995).
Dr. Lucas is survived by his wife, Ouida "Red" Young Lucas of Tifton; two daughters and one son-in-law, Martha Lucas Bryan and Patricia and Michael Stephenson, all of Tifton; and thirteen grandchildren and their spouses, William and Amy Bryan, Robert and Gina Bryan, Bonnie and Norm Hooten, Gillian and Charles Bradford, Amanda Bryan, William Bryan, Broc Hooten, Tyler Bryan, Samantha Bryan, Chelsea Bryan, Mason Hooten, Noah Hooten and William Bradford.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Tift Regional Medical Center, P. O. Box 747, Tifton, GA 31793; of the Benevolent Fund at Tifton's First Baptist Church, 404 Love Avenue, Tifton, Ga 31794.