Obituary of Walter Fenton Luce

Walter Fenton Luce, Jr., a resident of Rydal Park Retirement Community, died on May 27, 2015. He was 94. Mr. Luce was the fourth generation of his family in the meat business. After graduating from Frankford High School in 1938, he joined the family business, Luce's Meat Service. Originally located in the Farmer's Market on Girard Ave. at Ninth Street, Luce's Meats was finally located at 143 W. Girard Ave. During World War II, Walter served in the Army Air Corps at bases throughout the United States, completing service at the Rattlesnake Army Air Force Base in Peyote, Texas, where he was an instructor in aerial gunnery for B-29s. Immediately after the war, he married Christine Henning Luce, his beloved wife of 67 years. Walter returned to the family business and worked there every weekday except Saturday and Sunday, taking only weekend vacations to nearby Ocean City, until retirement in 1983. He had promised his wife that they would travel after he retired, and the promise was kept with almost fifty Elderhostel vacations to many of the fifty states, Europe, Labrador and the Panama Canal. He also enjoyed working as a volunteer gardener at the Morris Arboretum. Mr. Luce is survived by a son, Dr. Eric F. Luce, a daughter-in-law, Jane Cubberley Luce, a granddaughter, K.C. Luce, and a daughter Janet L. Luce. A memorial service will be held at 1:30 PM on Wednesday, June 3, 2015 in the Meditation Room of Rydal Park, which is located on the 6th floor of Rydal Park, 1515 The Fairway, Jenkintown, PA. Friends will be received after the service. Memorial donations may be made to the Glading Memorial Presbyterian Church, Loretta & Cheltenham Aves., Phila., PA 19124, and to Hospice Compassus, 1234 West Chester Pike, Suite 202, West Chester, PA 19382.