By AMY RABIDEAU SILVERS from the May 23, 2004, edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
One day at a time, for 43 years, someone known as Lou L. was a recovering alcoholic. For 25 years of those years, he served as executive director of Alcoholics Anonymous' central office in Milwaukee. His full name was Louis Lukas. He died of a heart attack Tuesday. Lukas was 78 and a resident of St. Francis.
Lukas never missed a chance to talk about the power of AA to change lives. The anniversary of his own sobriety was his big day. "Every year, instead of celebrating his regular birthday, he celebrated his AA birthday," said daughter Debra Kober. "It was Aug. 15. He would have a cookout, and everyone would bring a dish. He'd have the meat for the grill."
Lukas grew up in Swoyersville, Pa. He served as a gunner on B-24 bombers during World War II, then with the Army Reserve. In 1952, he graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor's degree in biological science. His drinking created problems with work, family, friends. "His life didn't change and turn around until AA," his daughter said. He became a certified alcoholism counselor, then director for the local central office for AA.
"My dad's whole life was helping people, trying to kick them in the butt to get them to stop drinking," she said. "People called him in the middle of the night, needing counseling. He hadn't been a formal counselor for years, but he still did counseling." Over his years with AA, Lukas saw public perceptions about alcoholism change, with more understanding about alcoholism as a disease - and less tolerance for the problems that it creates.
"He carried the message of AA to the community whenever possible," said the central office's current director, identifying himself as Gene P. in the AA tradition.
Others agreed. "It's a sort of tough love situation," said one friend, known as Russ A. "We're there, if they want help. "I came into the program with his help," Russ said. "He sponsored my wife, Mary, a year earlier. . . . He sponsored a lot of people and ran a lot of meetings around town and conferences all over the place. He was well known in AA."
He also welcomed some in need into his own home, for months at a time, and loved hosting big Thanksgiving gatherings.
One special chapter of Lukas' life began about 10 years ago. Lukas discovered that he had family in the Czech Republic. He made a trip there, meeting his Czech relatives for the first time. He probably went back half a dozen times. He often brought back gifts for the nurses at the Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where he was treated for heart and other medical problems.
"He was scheduled to go to the Czech Republic this July with my daughter and a cousin," Kober said. "He had all the tickets. He was already packed."
Survivors include daughters Bobbi Kowbel, Mary Trentadue and Debra Kober; son Buck Steiniger; grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Visitation was held earlier. Burial with full military honors was held at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove.
One day at a time, for 43 years, someone known as Lou L. was a recovering alcoholic. For 25 years of those years, he served as executive director of Alcoholics Anonymous' central office in Milwaukee. His full name was Louis Lukas. He died of a heart attack Tuesday. Lukas was 78 and a resident of St. Francis.
Lukas never missed a chance to talk about the power of AA to change lives. The anniversary of his own sobriety was his big day. "Every year, instead of celebrating his regular birthday, he celebrated his AA birthday," said daughter Debra Kober. "It was Aug. 15. He would have a cookout, and everyone would bring a dish. He'd have the meat for the grill."
Lukas grew up in Swoyersville, Pa. He served as a gunner on B-24 bombers during World War II, then with the Army Reserve. In 1952, he graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor's degree in biological science. His drinking created problems with work, family, friends. "His life didn't change and turn around until AA," his daughter said. He became a certified alcoholism counselor, then director for the local central office for AA.
"My dad's whole life was helping people, trying to kick them in the butt to get them to stop drinking," she said. "People called him in the middle of the night, needing counseling. He hadn't been a formal counselor for years, but he still did counseling." Over his years with AA, Lukas saw public perceptions about alcoholism change, with more understanding about alcoholism as a disease - and less tolerance for the problems that it creates.
"He carried the message of AA to the community whenever possible," said the central office's current director, identifying himself as Gene P. in the AA tradition.
Others agreed. "It's a sort of tough love situation," said one friend, known as Russ A. "We're there, if they want help. "I came into the program with his help," Russ said. "He sponsored my wife, Mary, a year earlier. . . . He sponsored a lot of people and ran a lot of meetings around town and conferences all over the place. He was well known in AA."
He also welcomed some in need into his own home, for months at a time, and loved hosting big Thanksgiving gatherings.
One special chapter of Lukas' life began about 10 years ago. Lukas discovered that he had family in the Czech Republic. He made a trip there, meeting his Czech relatives for the first time. He probably went back half a dozen times. He often brought back gifts for the nurses at the Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where he was treated for heart and other medical problems.
"He was scheduled to go to the Czech Republic this July with my daughter and a cousin," Kober said. "He had all the tickets. He was already packed."
Survivors include daughters Bobbi Kowbel, Mary Trentadue and Debra Kober; son Buck Steiniger; grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Visitation was held earlier. Burial with full military honors was held at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove.
By AMY RABIDEAU SILVERS from the May 23, 2004, edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
One day at a time, for 43 years, someone known as Lou L. was a recovering alcoholic. For 25 years of those years, he served as executive director of Alcoholics Anonymous' central office in Milwaukee. His full name was Louis Lukas. He died of a heart attack Tuesday. Lukas was 78 and a resident of St. Francis.
Lukas never missed a chance to talk about the power of AA to change lives. The anniversary of his own sobriety was his big day. "Every year, instead of celebrating his regular birthday, he celebrated his AA birthday," said daughter Debra Kober. "It was Aug. 15. He would have a cookout, and everyone would bring a dish. He'd have the meat for the grill."
Lukas grew up in Swoyersville, Pa. He served as a gunner on B-24 bombers during World War II, then with the Army Reserve. In 1952, he graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor's degree in biological science. His drinking created problems with work, family, friends. "His life didn't change and turn around until AA," his daughter said. He became a certified alcoholism counselor, then director for the local central office for AA.
"My dad's whole life was helping people, trying to kick them in the butt to get them to stop drinking," she said. "People called him in the middle of the night, needing counseling. He hadn't been a formal counselor for years, but he still did counseling." Over his years with AA, Lukas saw public perceptions about alcoholism change, with more understanding about alcoholism as a disease - and less tolerance for the problems that it creates.
"He carried the message of AA to the community whenever possible," said the central office's current director, identifying himself as Gene P. in the AA tradition.
Others agreed. "It's a sort of tough love situation," said one friend, known as Russ A. "We're there, if they want help. "I came into the program with his help," Russ said. "He sponsored my wife, Mary, a year earlier. . . . He sponsored a lot of people and ran a lot of meetings around town and conferences all over the place. He was well known in AA."
He also welcomed some in need into his own home, for months at a time, and loved hosting big Thanksgiving gatherings.
One special chapter of Lukas' life began about 10 years ago. Lukas discovered that he had family in the Czech Republic. He made a trip there, meeting his Czech relatives for the first time. He probably went back half a dozen times. He often brought back gifts for the nurses at the Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where he was treated for heart and other medical problems.
"He was scheduled to go to the Czech Republic this July with my daughter and a cousin," Kober said. "He had all the tickets. He was already packed."
Survivors include daughters Bobbi Kowbel, Mary Trentadue and Debra Kober; son Buck Steiniger; grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Visitation was held earlier. Burial with full military honors was held at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove.
One day at a time, for 43 years, someone known as Lou L. was a recovering alcoholic. For 25 years of those years, he served as executive director of Alcoholics Anonymous' central office in Milwaukee. His full name was Louis Lukas. He died of a heart attack Tuesday. Lukas was 78 and a resident of St. Francis.
Lukas never missed a chance to talk about the power of AA to change lives. The anniversary of his own sobriety was his big day. "Every year, instead of celebrating his regular birthday, he celebrated his AA birthday," said daughter Debra Kober. "It was Aug. 15. He would have a cookout, and everyone would bring a dish. He'd have the meat for the grill."
Lukas grew up in Swoyersville, Pa. He served as a gunner on B-24 bombers during World War II, then with the Army Reserve. In 1952, he graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor's degree in biological science. His drinking created problems with work, family, friends. "His life didn't change and turn around until AA," his daughter said. He became a certified alcoholism counselor, then director for the local central office for AA.
"My dad's whole life was helping people, trying to kick them in the butt to get them to stop drinking," she said. "People called him in the middle of the night, needing counseling. He hadn't been a formal counselor for years, but he still did counseling." Over his years with AA, Lukas saw public perceptions about alcoholism change, with more understanding about alcoholism as a disease - and less tolerance for the problems that it creates.
"He carried the message of AA to the community whenever possible," said the central office's current director, identifying himself as Gene P. in the AA tradition.
Others agreed. "It's a sort of tough love situation," said one friend, known as Russ A. "We're there, if they want help. "I came into the program with his help," Russ said. "He sponsored my wife, Mary, a year earlier. . . . He sponsored a lot of people and ran a lot of meetings around town and conferences all over the place. He was well known in AA."
He also welcomed some in need into his own home, for months at a time, and loved hosting big Thanksgiving gatherings.
One special chapter of Lukas' life began about 10 years ago. Lukas discovered that he had family in the Czech Republic. He made a trip there, meeting his Czech relatives for the first time. He probably went back half a dozen times. He often brought back gifts for the nurses at the Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where he was treated for heart and other medical problems.
"He was scheduled to go to the Czech Republic this July with my daughter and a cousin," Kober said. "He had all the tickets. He was already packed."
Survivors include daughters Bobbi Kowbel, Mary Trentadue and Debra Kober; son Buck Steiniger; grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Visitation was held earlier. Burial with full military honors was held at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove.
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