JoAnne (Prater) Lucas

Mrs. JoAnne Lucas , age 88, and a long-time resident of Konawa, OK, passed away January 10, 2023, at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Monday, January 16, 2023, at the Konawa High School PAC Building under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home of Konawa. David Dirrim will officiate, and burial will follow at Vamoosa Cemetery. Casket bearers are Don Kite, Tony Kuestersteffen, Tommy Myers, Gary Stidham, Brandon Stoup, and Mark Stoup. The family would like to honor all of her former students as honorary casket bearers. The family will receive guests from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 15, 2023.

Mrs. Lucas was born April 19, 1934, in Goodwater, Oklahoma, to Hardy Prater and Bertie (Burke) Prater. She graduated from Haworth High School and attended Southeastern State College, earning a bachelor’s degree in education, specializing in math. She began her teaching career in 1955, and on August 19, 1957, she married Alvin Frank Lucas in McAlester, Oklahoma. She gave 41 years of service to Konawa Public Schools as a math and science teacher. She also tutored, taught GED classes, and sponsored the Konawa Schools Native American Club. She retired at age 80.

Mrs. Lucas was given the Konawa Citizen of the Year award in May, 2013. She was a member of the Southwest Church of Christ in Ada, Oklahoma.

She is survived by her husband of over 65 years, Al Lucas of the home; one daughter, Alison Dancer of Stillwater, Oklahoma; one son, Dirk Lucas and wife, Stephanie of Edmond, Oklahoma; one sister, Neva Grelle of Valliant, Oklahoma; one nephew, Blante Evans of Houston, Texas; two granddaughters, Taylor Lucas and Avery Holt of Edmond, Oklahoma; and numerous other nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Lewis Prater, Clarence Prater, Georgia (Prater) Evans, Mark Prater, and Bazz Prater; nieces, Shirley (Evans) Boyd, Janetta (Evans) Vice, and Beverly (Evans) Pennington; and nephew, Neil Evans.