Eugene Freddie Luckstead – December 17, 2013

Luckstead Obit PicEugene Freddie Luckstead, 75, of Amarillo, Texas, passed from this life to his heavenly home on December 17, 2013.

The funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm on Friday, December 20, 2013, at the Hillside Christian Church chapel located at 6100 Soncy in Amarillo.  Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2800 Paramount Blvd.

Eugene was born November 20, 1938, in Anamosa, Iowa.  He grew up on a farm in Wyoming, Iowa, where he excelled in both academics and athletics.  He graduated from Wyoming High School in 1956 and pursued higher education at the University of Iowa, where he graduated in 1959 with a degree in biology.  In 1963, he graduated from medical school at the University of Iowa.  He completed a residency in pediatrics while serving in the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander in Oakland, California, until 1966.  He continued his naval service while stationed in Long Beach, California, until 1968.  He then completed a fellowship in pediatric cardiology at the University of Kansas.

Eugene was united in marriage to his best friend, Margaret Ann Dandl, on June 24, 1961.  They enjoyed a marriage filled with love, respect, and adventure for fifty-two years.

Throughout his professional life, Eugene served as medical faculty at the University of Kansas, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Iowa while he served as Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Blank Children’s Hospital.  He also served as Medical Director of Cook Fort Worth Children’s Hospital and as Executive Medical Director at Kings Daughters Children’s Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, where he also served as Professor of Pediatrics at Eastern Virginia Medical School.  Finally, he served as Professor of Pediatrics at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center while continuing to practice as a pediatric cardiologist.

Selflessly serving others was the hallmark of Eugene’s life.  He cherished people and took great joy in helping his patients.  Additionally, he was passionate about teaching and loved mentoring medical students, residents, and young physicians.  He was an extensively published author of articles and texts on the topics of pediatric cardiology and pediatric and adolescent sports medicine.  He was a world-wide guest speaker on topics concerning sports medicine as well as being the recipient of numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to the fields of pediatrics, cardiology, and sports medicine.

As passionate as Eugene was about the field of medicine, his family and friends were even more beloved to him.  He was the consummate family man, and he spent his life in devotion to his wife and in support of his children and grandchildren in their endeavors.  He and Margie travelled extensively and were particularly fond of cruising.  He loved sports and was an avid fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Eugene is survived by his wife of fifty-two years, Margaret Luckstead; his three children, Eugene Freddie Luckstead, Jr., and his wife Stephanie, Ann Gosdin and her husband Brad, and Erik Luckstead and his wife Kay; his six grandchildren, Luke, Mattea, and Sarah Luckstead, Mary Gosdin, and Grant and Logan Luckstead; his two sisters, GaeAnn Steuri and Gayle Burgess; his nieces and nephew; other relatives; and a host of adoring friends.

Eugene was preceded in death by his parents, Freddie Luckstead and Velda McGuire Luckstead.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the Dr. Eugene F. Luckstead, Sr., Memorial Fund at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center or another charity of one’s choosing.  The family would like to thank all who cared for him during both his hospitalization and his stay at Hospice Care of the Southwest.

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