In Memory

Leonard Lucas - Class Of 1941

Leonard Lucas

Man Wounded In Holdup, Dies of Gunshot Wound

A Gastonia man died Friday afternoon, April 27, 1973 in a Charlotte Hospital, 17 hours after he was shot once in the head, above the left eye, during a robbery at a Li’l General Store.

Leonard Melvin Lucas, 51, a retired United States Air Force veteran, died about 3:45 p.m. at Charlotte Memorial Hospital. Lucas had been rushed to the hospital after he was shot in a Li’l General Store at Carolina and York Rds. in Gastonia about 10:30 p.m.

Gastonia police said Lucas had gone to the store to visit his wife who worked there. Lucas’ wife, who was night operator of the store asked Lucas to watch the store for a while so she could take a nap. Police said Lucas was ill and hadn’t slept well Wednesday night.

While Lucas was standing behind the cash register, two men entered the store, pulled guns and demanded money. Lucas was shot in the head and the men ran from the store with an undisclosed sum of money.

No arrest had been made by late Friday.

The Gastonia Gazette (Gastonia, NC) - April 28, 1973

A native of Olney, Illinois, Leonard Melvin Lucas, 51, was born May 12, 1922. Lucas attended high school in Olney, Ill. before joining the U.S. Air Force in 1943.

He was raised by a foster parent, the late Mrs.Turpin. He has one foster brother, the late Burl Turpin; three foster sisters, the late Mrs. Gail Pigg of Peoria, Mrs. Bud Fessel and Mrs. Frank Hockman of Olney and Advance, Missouri.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs.Ola Mae (Blanton) Lucas; three children, twin sons, Kenneth, Gastonia, N.C. and S. Sgt. Jerry Lucas stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas; one daughter, Mrs. Lucinda Clark of Phoenix, Ariz. and two grandchildren.

Lucas served in the U.S. Air Force for 22 years. He will have full military rites at his funeral.

Olney Daily Mail (IL) - May 26, 1973