Billie Clift Lucas

Mrs. Billie Clift Lucas, died Wednesday, April 11, 2007 at her residence on West 6th St. A memorial service will be conducted at 4 p.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church with Rev. Bill Williamson officiating. The family will visit with friends Sunday from 2 - 4 p.m. at the church. Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 816 S. Garden St., Columbia, TN, 38401 or James K. Polk Auxiliary, 303 West 7th St., Columbia, TN 38401. Notes of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.oakesandnichols.com. The St. Charles, Virginia native was the daughter of the late William Thomas Clift and Grace Wachs Clift. Her family moved to Knoxville where she graduated from Knoxville High School and attended the University of Tennessee. She married Harold W. Lucas. The young family lived in Newport, Rhode Island, Staten Island, New York, Trinidad, BWI and Port Hueneme, California during Mr. Lucas's tour of duty in the U.S. Navy. Upon his retirement from the Navy the family moved to Nashville. In 1965 they came to Columbia when her husband purchased the Chevrolet-Cadillac dealership. Mrs. Lucas immediately became active in the community. She was cookie chairman for the Girl Scouts in Maury County. She co-chaired the first McDowell School Carnival. She became active in King's Daughters' and was Mrs. Andrew Dale's chosen successor as Treasurer of the King's Daughters' School. She joined the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities and served as a Board member. She was appointed as a Trustee for the Columbia State Community College Foundation. She served for many years on the Board of the James K. Polk Memorial Association, serving as its president and as Chairman of their annual Ball. Mrs. Lucas was Chairman of the Board of the Maury County Benefit Ball Association and served as chairman of their annual Benefit Ball. She was an avid tennis player and bridge player. She was a member of Bay Point Yacht and Country Club in Panama City Beach, Florida where her family has a home. She delivered meals-on-wheels for a number of years. Mrs. Lucas was a member of First Presbyterian Church. She is survived by her husband, Harold W. Lucas of Columbia; her son, H. Thomas (Tonnya) Lucas of Columbia; three daughters, Melanie Lucas (Rob) Evanko of Dallas, TX, Allison G. Lucas of Sarasota, FL, Julie Lucas (Malcolm) Saxon of Memphis; and five grandchildren, Lucas Brooks Evanko, Grace Arwin Clift Evanko, Anne Taylor Tipton, Elizabeth Clift Tipton, Whisey Taylor; a brother, Harold Clift of Chicago, IL; two sisters, Mildred McDowell and Audrey Carey both of Knoxville; several nieces, nephews and cousins. The family wants to give thanks to a special caregiver, Donna Noland.