William G. Lucks, Chairman of The Lucks Company, passed away on Tuesday, July 9. Born in Seattle, WA, on Oct. 31, 1930 to Violet and Carl Lucks, Bill was a lifelong Seattleite.

He attended the University of Washington where his studies included business administration and accounting, and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1952 with a second lieutenant’s commission in the U.S. Air Force, and was elected Phi Beta Kappa. He remained an avid fan of Husky athletics for his entire life and rarely missed a home football game.

Bill served as a first lieutenant in the Air Force from 1952-54 but left in 1954 to join The Oscar Lucks Company, the family business founded by his grandfather. The business at the time distributed a limited line of supplies to bakeries in Washington state. Following 20 weeks of study at the American Institute of Baking, then in Chicago, Bill returned to Seattle to assume a more significant role with the family business. He led The Lucks Company as CEO and chairmen from 1958 to the present, and during that time expanded it into the manufacturing of many diverse product lines including dry mixes, equipment and edible food decorations.

The Lucks Company has been recognized as one of Washington State’s top 150 private businesses.  Bill believed in treating his customers well, while maintaining high ethical standards and creating a legacy of loyal employees whom he preferred to refer to as Team Members.

In 1993 Lucks Food Decorating Company introduced Edible Image® Decorations which revolutionized the way the industry decorated cakes. Today, Lucks Food Decorating Company manufactures Dec-Ons® Molded Sugar Decorations, Royal Icing Roses, Edible Image® Decorations, Print-Ons® Sheets and Lucks® Liquid Colors.  Lucks Food Decorating Company products are manufactured in the USA and sold worldwide.   

Bill’s list of civic service includes serving as president of the UW Alumni Association, President of the National Bakery Suppliers Association, Seattle Rotary Service Foundation, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and past chairman of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Young  Presidents’ Organization.

In addition to his loving wife Nancy, her four grown children and nine grandchildren, Bill is survived by his grandson Evan Robbins, and his two sons, Carl and Kurt, both of whom are active in the family business, and Carl’s wife Jenny Peters. 

A Memorial Service celebrating his life will be held at:

Trinity Episcopal Church

609 Eighth Ave

Seattle, Washington 98104

Thursday, July 18, 2013

3:00 P.M.

Remembrances may be made to:

William G. Lucks Memorial Fund,

The Seattle Foundation,

IBM Building, 1200 Fifth Avenue,

Suite 1300, Seattle, WA 98101-3151