Well known NMU physics professor and department head Dr. Dave Lucas passed
away unexpectedly on Wednesday, Dec. 16. NMU President Fritz Erickson shared the news with the NMU community in an e-mail sent Wednesday afternoon.
Dr. Lucas came to NMU in 1986, and has served a vital role on campus in his capacity as head of the NMU Physics Department, first appointed to that position in 2001, and as director of Northern’s highly regarded pre-medical/ pre-dental/pre-physical assistant program. As accomplished as he was in his academic teaching and administration, Dave will be most missed for his outstanding advising of students, friendly and encouraging interaction with members of the campus community, unwavering support of Northern activities, willingness to lend a hand where there was a need, and his engaging sense of humor.
Dave was not a faculty member and administrator who never came out of his office or rarely ventured beyond his department. One would see him everywhere on campus. He was in the stands to cheer on Wildcat student-athletes. He earnestly participated in university discussions and forums. He was as passionate about finding the best chili at each year’s NMU Chili Challenge as he was about answering questions during Parent Orientation. He was an outside-the-box kind of thinker, someone who was not
afraid to put a wild idea on the table in order to see where a concept or a conversation might go. A native of Ironwood, Dave was also an especially strong advocate of Upper Peninsula schools and U.P. students. Funeral arrangements are pending and that information will be passed along when available. To those of you who were Dave’s closest colleagues and friends, our deepest sympathies are with you.

Sincerely,
President Fritz Erickson and Provost Kerri Schuiling