Zigmon Luksha.

• Position: Coulter - Obituary

STERLING -- Zigmon "Zig'' Luksha, 94, passed away at home on Thursday, March 12, surrounded by his family.

He was the son of the late Nicholas M. and Mary (Lis) Luksha, Polish immigrant parents who settled in Sterling more than 100 years ago. He never moved far from his family's roots. He was born at home a few hundred feet from his own home, one that he had built with his own hands.

Mechanically inclined, he put his skills to use when he was called to serve during World War II. He joined the Army Air Forces as an airplane mechanic and maintenance crew chief, working on B-17 and B-24 bombers while stationed in the European theater.

Following his return home, Mr. Luksha became a plumber and retired from Gustafson Plumbing in Worcester following a 40-year career there. With a growing family, he took on even more work and a second job working part time at Nypro, in Clinton for many years to support them.

He shared his love of cribbage by teaching all of his children to play, enjoyed working in his vegetable garden every summer and was a voracious reader, especially of Western genre novels.

Mr. Luksha was a 60-year member of the Hiram O. Taylor American Legion Post 189, in Sterling.

His wife of 53 years, Edythe I. (Landry), died in 2001.

He leaves his eight children, Zigmon Luksha Jr. and his wife, Patricia, of Houston, Texas...