Morris Lucia
Join us in celebrating Morris—please share your stories and photos, and help spread the word about this page!
Morris Glen Lucia, Jr (Spike) of Winter Haven, Florida, passed away September 21, 2021 at the age of 93 following several months of declining health. Spike was born and raised in West Chazy, NY, the oldest child and only son of Morris, Sr and Marion Goodale Lucia. Spike graduated from Plattsburgh High School in 1946 and attended Union College for two years before majoring in Music Education at SUNY Fredonia. While attending Fredonia, Spike met Marion Elizabeth Allen, and the two of them were married in 1951. In 1952 Spike began a 31-year career as a music teacher at Copenhagen Central School, instilling his love of music into numerous generations of students over that span and leading the marching band down Main Street in many a Fireman's Field Day or Memorial Day parade. Spike was a living example of community citizenship, assuming countless membership and leadership roles in the Copenhagen area - United Church of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Civic Club, Jefferson-Lewis Boy Scout Council - and managed the voting booth for town and school elections. In addition, Spike served as a tax assessor for the Town of Denmark. He was a proud member of Masonic Lodges in New York and Florida for 72 years, later also joining Shriners International. Spike was well known in the Northern New York area as a musician. He frequently played piano in local ensembles, sang in church choirs, sang and acted in community theater productions, and performed occasionally with a local barbershop quartet. His most significant contribution to the area music scene was with the Lowville Village Band. For 54 summers, Spike could be seen lugging his tuba back and forth from rehearsals and concerts before finally retiring from the band in 2010. Spike and Marion raised four children in Copenhagen prior to her death in 1981.
In 1986 Spike began a second life with a second wife. He was introduced to Jane Abrams Gaines, also a widow, by his sister, Marilyn, and the two of them were married later that year. For 24 years Spike and Jane became snowbirds, living the summer half of the year in Copenhagen and the winter half in various homes in Orlando, then Winter Haven, Florida. After 2010 they remained in Florida full time. Throughout the years there were many trips to visit children and grandchildren, senior tours to faraway locales, and a small pocket of Copenhagen friends who also took up part-year residence in their Winter Haven community. Spike and Jane never missed a high school graduation for Spike's grandchildren, traveling throughout the northeast and mid-south to attend each one between 1995 and 2014.
Morris Lucia is survived by his second wife, Jane Lucia of Winter Haven, and three of his children and their spouses - Jeff (Sally) Lucia of Charlotte, North Carolina, Nancy (Gary) Simonsen of Madison, Connecticut, and Vicki (Kenis) Sweet of Queensbury, New York. He was predeceased by his oldest child, Cindy Gruner. Also surviving Spike are his sister, Muriel Oakley of Beekmantown, New York, and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his youngest sister, Marilyn Zielke. Spike was extremely proud of his ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, all of whom survive him.
The family wishes to thank the staffs of Winter Haven Hospital, Spring Lake Rehabilitation Center, Spring Haven Retirement Community, and Compassionate Care Hospice for their gentle, compassionate treatment of Spike over the past few months. The family will announce plans for his remembrance at a later time. Contributions in memory of Spike Lucia can be made to the Copenhagen Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, PO Box 298, Copenhagen, NY 13626.