Jeffery Lee Lucas, 76, of Kevil, Kentucky, passed away on Friday, August 7, 2026, at Select Specialty Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.
Jeff had been hospitalized since an accident on July 5. For much of that time, he was unable to speak or communicate with his family. Following surgery on his throat, Jeff was finally able to speak again, giving his family the comfort of hearing his voice once more.
Jeff was born on September 30, 1949, at Riverside Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky, to the late Marvin G. Lucas and Etta Mae Lucas.
A graduate of Heath High School, Jeff went straight to work doing what would become a lifelong career, truck driving. He spent 50 years behind the wheel before retiring in 2014 from Hartt Transportation Systems. Retirement, however, did not mean slowing down. Jeff turned his attention to farming, something that became both a passion and, as he might have called it, his “side gig.” He worked for Goodwin Farms, where he could be found driving tractors and combines and operating just about any piece of farm equipment that needed to be run.
When Jeff wasn’t working, he enjoyed goose hunting and was a proud University of Kentucky Wildcats fan. One of his favorite forms of entertainment was watching the stock car races at Paducah International Raceway.
Above everything else, family was the most important part of Jeff’s life. He cherished Delores, his wife of 44 years, and their two sons. His love for his family was not something he simply spoke about, it was something he showed through his actions every single day. To his sons, Jeff was more than their dad; he was their hero, and the example he set for them will remain a lasting part of his legacy.
Jeff is survived by his wife, Delores Lucas of Kevil, Kentucky; two sons, Curtis Wesley (Lisa) Goode of Wickliffe, Kentucky, and Darrell (Brandee) Goode of Lone Oak, Kentucky; two sisters, Vicki Harless of Calvert City, Kentucky, and Betty (Mike) Moore of Bandana, Kentucky; five grandchildren, Perry Wayne Goode, Cody Hunter Goode, Jarrett Goode, Kyler Teitsort, and Landon Teitsort; one great-grandchild, Kesli Blake; and four nieces and nephews, Mark Harless, Teressa Harless, Ches Moore, and Zac Moore.
In addition to his parents, Jeff was preceded in death by his niece, Jennifer Moore.
A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Paducah. Burial will follow at Woodville Cemetery in Kevil, Kentucky.
Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until the service hour of 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Jeff’s honor to the Alzheimer’s Association. Donations may be mailed to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011, or made online through the Alzheimer’s Association donation page.
Share a memory or leave a message for the family at www.milnerandorr.com.
