Joseph G. Luchi

Joseph Gino Luchi, 88, died peacefully on April 2, 2013, at his home in Fountain Hills with his family by his side.

One of seven children, Mr. Luchi was born on Jan. 7, 1925, in Ports-mouth, Ohio to Gino and Pia Luchi.

Growing up, Joe excelled in a number of sports especially basket-ball playing for Portsmouth Central Catholic High School. Joe was awarded an athletic scholarship to the University of Cincinnati where, in 1951, he earned all-conference honors for the Bearcats in the Mid-American Conference.

Known for his relentless determination, com-petitive spirit, and reliable left-hand jumper, “Jumping Joe” Luchi, as captain, helped lead the Bearcats to the 1951 Na-tional Invitational Tournament held at Madison Square Gardens in New York.

Joe was a member of Phi Epsilon Kappa (vice-president), Sigma Sigma, Ulex, and Omicron Delta Kappa where he was given the “outstanding UC senior athlete” award. Joe was also selected “outstanding personality” of the class of 1951, an elite group of 18.

After graduation, he was a third round draft pick of the New York Knickerbockers of the NBA.

During World War II, Joe served honorably as a gunnery training sergeant at a number of stateside USAAF bases. Joe always enjoyed dancing to the tunes from the Big Band era and was particularly fond of reading western novels by renowned au-thor Louis L’Amour.

Joe married Billie Frances Pridemore in Lexington, Ky. on Nov. 24, 1944 and moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, eventu-ally residing for over 43 years in the town of Greenhills.

Joe started teaching and coaching at Roger Bacon High School in 1952. Afterwards, he began a long, successful sales career in the auto-mobile and aerospace in-dustries. He retired in 1993.

Joe was well-known and respected for his integrity, generosity, wit and hard work. To ensure his fellow salesmen at Voi-Shan Aerospace received appropriate recognition for their various achieve-ments, Joe helped establish the legendary “Voi-Shan Academy.”

Joe and Billie moved to Fountain Hills in 1996. Joe was a member of the Kentucky Colonels, the American Legion, and at-tended the Church of the Ascension in Fountain Hills.

Besides his wife Billie, Joe is survived by his five children: Michael (Jorj) Luchi of Granbury, Texas, Laura Luchi (Stephen) LaMendola of Beaumont, Texas, Dee Luchi (Charles) Hernandez of Phoenix, Joe (Teresa) Luchi of Folsom, Calif. and Dana Luchi (Leslie) Tompkins of Phoenix. He was the proud grandfather of Tara, Joey, Michael, Luke, Cassie, Lara Lee, AmieAnn, Trey, Tate and Jeb; and the great-grandfather of Frances, Grady and Nettie.

At the family’s request, no service will be held.