Obituary of David Luke

David L. Luke III - A prominent business leader in the U.S. Paper industry, WWII Veteran and philanthropist, died on December 13, 2014 age 91. He was born in 1923, a son of Mr. & Mrs. David L. Luke, Jr. He was married in 1955, to his late wife, Mrs. Fanny C. Luke, who passed away this past October. He is survived by his sister Melinda, many nieces and nephews, and other close relatives. David attended The Hotchkiss School. In September of 1941 he entered Yale and the Naval ROTC. Following Pearl Harbor, he arranged to resign from Yale and the NROTC to enter Naval Aviation Flight Training. In early June of 1943, he received his Naval Aviator's Wings and also the commission in the U.S. Marine Corps that he wanted. He saw combat service in several of the important Pacific Island Campaigns in the Mariannas and Okinawa. In October 1945 he returned to Yale, graduating in early 1948. He completed his Military Reserve Service with the rank of Captain. After taking business courses at Columbia and working in New York for a year, he joined an exceptional and brand new venture capital organization in Boston, American Research and Development Corporation in the spring of 1949. In 1952 he returned to New York and joined Westvaco Corporation, first as Vice President, then as an Executive Vice President, becoming President in March 1962. He became Chief Executive Officer in late 1963. In 1980 he also became Chairman, retiring from that position in 1996. He has served on the boards of other leading organizations, including B.F. Goodrich, The Irving Bank Corporation, The Bank of New York, The McGraw-Hill Companies, The Grumman Corporation and the New York Stock Exchange. His charitable service has included the board of The American Museum of Natural History from 1962-1966, The Hotckiss School as a Trustee from 1970-1980, including 5 years as President at a time of significant growth and change in the school; he remains an Honorary Trustee. He served on the Board of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory as a Trustee and Treasurer from 1986-1992, and then as Trustee and Chairman from 1992-1998, and he remains an Emeritus Trustee. He has also been involved with the boards of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation and Ventures in Education. He has received 4 Honorary Doctor of Law degrees and an Honorary Doctor of Science degree. A private burial service will be held at the Locust Valley Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at Saint John's of Lattingtown Church, 325 Lattingtown Road, Locust Valley, New York 11560 at a later date; immediately followed by a Reception at The Piping Rock Club, 150 Piping Rock Rd. Locust Valley, NY 11560. Arrangements have been entrusted to Dodge-Thomas Funeral Home of Glen Cove. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to either The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Rd. Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 or to The Hotchkiss School, 11 Interlaken Road, Lakeville, CT 06039-0800.