James Morris Lucas, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and avid outdoorsman, passed away peacefully on February 16, 2026.

Born on December 27, 1943 in Macon, to Ralph and Cecil Lucas.  James was born and raised in Georgia and was a lifelong Georgia Bulldogs and Atlanta Braves fan.  He played high school basketball and joined the military after graduation. He was a longtime member of the Lizella Baptist Church in Lizella, GA.  He retired from Robins Air Force Base and settled in Culloden, GA just recently moving to Fayetteville, NC.  He preferred the outdoors, spending his happiest hours in the woods hunting, fishing, or planting trees and flowers.

James was a devoted family man. It was love at first sight when he met his wife, Diane, and together they shared 48 years of marriage, building a life centered on love and unyielding devotion to each other. As a dad, he taught his children how to bait a hook, shoot a gun, respect nature, and work hard. As a grandfather, his eyes always lit up when sharing a story about his high school basketball glory days or telling silly jokes and he always had ice cream to share.

He is survived by his loving wife, Gloria Diane Creel Lucas; children, Art (Angel) Hooper, Tony Hooper, Michael (Becky) Lucas, and Robert (Ronda) Hooper; grandchildren, Clint (Morgan) Hooper, Chad (Jordan) Hooper, Casie (Evan) Burgos, Daniel (Roseann) Brannam, Nile (Fable) Lucas, Cody Lucas, Emily Hooper, Elana Hooper, Eva Crader, and Torin Hooper, great grandchildren; Chloe Hooper, Kaliyah Brannam, Cameron Nolan, Gabriel Hooper, Daniel Brannam Jr, Madison Nolan, Max Hooper, Tristan Nolan, Jack Hooper, Ford Hooper, Levi Hooper, and Soren Lucas; sisters Marie (Bobbie) Riezinger and Ann Partain and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents; Ralph and Cecil Lucas, Sister, Dorothy Fay Taylor, brother, Ralph Wallace Lucas and son; Eurey Dean Hooper.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to American Cancer Society online at https://www.cancer.org or by calling 1-800-227-2345.

Visitation will be at Saturday, February 21, 2026 at 1:30pm at Williams Funeral Home with a celebration of life immediately following at 2:30pm in their chapel.

James will be laid to rest at the Georgia Veterans Cemetery in Milledgeville, GA

Online condolences may be left at www.jerniganwarren.com

Funeral arrangements entrusted to Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home 545 Ramsey St. Fayetteville, NC 28301 and Williams Funeral Home and Crematory 1670 N Jefferson St NE, Milledgeville, GA 31061