Robert Joseph Lucas, 78, of Cross Lanes, WV passed away at home July 10, 2024.  He was born in South Charleston, WV on April 8, 1946.

Robert was a champion swimmer, known as “The Blue Whale” at Windermere Pool, setting records that stood for years.  After graduating from Charleson Catholic High School in 1964, he briefly attended Virginia Tech. He moved to Daytona Beach, living as a beach bum and bar bouncer, until working at the Daytona Speedway. He returned to Charleston and worked at C&P Telephone Company as a lineman, Safety Team member, EEO trainer, and Installation Foreman. He was one of the ESS System Conversion leaders for Verizon, known fondly as “Moose.”. He finished his forty-year career as a CISSP – a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, and head of Computer Security for Verizon.

Big Bob loved God and loved serving Him through His people. He volunteered in community music groups in Beckley, and at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in the music ministry, as a lector, at youth camp as the fishing “pro”, setting up pyrotechnics and recording activities for videos.  He recorded Mass for years for homebound parishioners.  He took every opportunity to drop a fishing line in any river, lake or pond – especially Poca Hunting & Fishing Club. He was an avid bird watcher and the neighborhood watchman.  Big Bob was witty and loved a good joke or tall tale.   His 6’8” frame served him well as an awesome Santa Claus everywhere he went.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Margaret Lucas, his sister Patty Anne Bridi and granddaughter Catherine Madeline Dusch.   He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Connie (Clark) and their children Benjamin, Christopher (Andrea), Carolyn, Margaret (Michael) Dusch, Stephen, Elizabeth (Gavin) Sexton, Theresa (Nathaniel) Smalley, and Ingrid Howard, as well as his 12 grandchildren whom he loved dearly, and his sister Judy, a nephew, two nieces and several cousins.

Services will be at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 305 E St, South Charleston on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. The Holy Rosary will be recited at 9:30am, visitation 10am-11am and Catholic Mass service at 11am.  A burial service for the family will take place at Sunset Memorial Park.

Memories of Robert Lucas may be shared by visiting www.snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary.  Snodgrass Funeral home, South Charleston, is handling the arrangements.