Edwin Robert (“Bob”) Lukens passed away peacefully, June 2, 2018, at the age of 91, having been visited through the day by loving friends.
Bob was born in California, on April 19, 1927. His family moved to Las Vegas, New Mexico, to the Castaneda Hotel, a Harvey Hotel, where his father became the executive in charge of the Santa Fe Railroad’s Harvey Hotel chain.
Bob's childhood acquaintance with trains developed into a lifelong love. At that time train travel was the preferred type of travel and Bob met heads of state, ambassadors, philosophers, and scientists, all of whom fed his mind which was always voracious for wisdom and knowledge.
With World War II Bob enlisted and ultimately was stationed in Europe as an officer in US Army Intelligence, and then later in South America.
Bob then attended the University of California at Davis from which he graduated in 1949. After graduation, Bob reenlisted in the US Army and was stationed in Bavaria. He was a deeply religious man, who on November 19, 1954, joined an order of the Franciscans in Bavaria.
In the mid-1950s Bob moved to Reno. Bob had previously visited Reno, NV, and enjoyed Reno, and with his new degree in Agriculture, Bob obtained a job as the Manager of Alber's Ranch and Feed, in Reno, which at that time was one of the largest employers in Nevada, serving Nevada’s then large ranching community. While at Alber's Bob met many if not most of Northern Nevada's notable ranchers. An aspect about Bob's mind that amazed most everyone was Bob's memory. When a ranch came up, Bob could rattle off when the ranch was founded, by whom, the descendants of the founders, and, amazingly, even what the current generation was doing for work.
Bob served as the Superintendent of Washoe County for its Department of Buildings and Grounds and for its Department of Parks and Recreation from 1960 to 1979. During those years Bob often traveled to the countries of Guatemala and Nicaragua, which he had come to love while he had been in the Army.
Bob loved to hunt. But he also loved the cowboy life that he had come to know well as a child in Las Vegas, NM. Bob often visited Gerlach, NV, and would bartend for one of its most colorful bar owners.
A man of many talents, for a period of time Bob helped with the management of Owen's Ford, for his good friend Farrell Owens, in Winnemucca, NV.
Bob also deeply loved the great outdoors and the “ghost” mining-town of Midas, Nevada, where he took many of his friends and their children. Bob, a very kind, gentle and loving person, was very generous with his time with all and helped shape the character of many young adults. It was often said that Bob was, “one of the kindest souls one could ever meet.”
Demonstrating Bob's generosity and love of friends, when a good friend, the US Forester passed away, Bob replanted a mountain ash from his front yard to the Sparks Library as a memorial to his friend.
Bob was predeceased by his parents, Walter and Alicia Lukens, and his brother Walter and twin sister, Helen ("Beth").
There will be a Memorial Service for Bob on June 13, 2018, at Our Lady of the Snows Parish Center, 1200 S. Arlington Street, Reno, Nevada, 89509. Visitation will be from 10:30 – 11:00, followed by a Mass at 11:00 A.M.
In lieu of flowers, it is requested that you give to the charity of your choice in Bob’s name, to Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada, PO Box 5099, Reno, NV 89513, or to Friends of Midas, HC 66, Box 75, Midas, Nevada 89414.

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