Honoring the Lucken Legacy

The Marillac Mission Fund received a one-time, unrestricted gift bequeathed by donor, Mr. John “Jack” Lucken, in the summer of 2019.  Mr. Lucken studied Fine Arts at Washington University and painted the constellations at the St. Louis Science Center’s Planetarium when it first opened.  He worked for years at the St. Louis Post Dispatch and lived a simple life of hunting, fishing, painting, gardening, and attending church. 

To commemorate Mr. Lucken’s life as an artist, MMF has allocated a portion of the unrestricted funds to innovative projects within MMF’s service area that engage older adults in art programming with the intention of decreasing social isolation and improving quality of life. Beyond supporting the provision of five unique art programs for low-income and/or vulnerable older adults throughout the St. Louis region, Mr. Lucken’s gift will also be utilized to support a variety of other initiatives. Mr. Lucken’s gift has been allocated to support efforts of the Arts & Education Council in St. Louis to provide enhanced art programming and cultural experiences to older adults. Additionally, a portion of the funds will be used to support emergency and immediate relief efforts for vulnerable older adults in St. Louis during the Coronavirus crisis. It has been the great honor and privilege of the Marillac Mission Fund team to commemorate Mr. John Lucken and his life through the careful and thoughtful provision of funding in support of older adults. We are thankful for the generous gift bestowed to us and the opportunity to honor Mr. John Lucken’s name. 

According to an ancient Greek proverb: “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.”