Lucan Jose Alvarez

Mr. Lucas José María Alvarez, age 84, of Cumming, Georgia, passed away on July 19, 2026. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 49 years, Betty Lee (Muller) Alvarez; his sister, Raquel María Alvarez Fernandez; his father, José María Alvarez Nuevo; and his mother, Raquel Francisca Hernandez Quintana. He is survived by his children, Elizabeth Anne Alvarez; Michelle Raquel Alvarez-Herbig and her husband, Heath Herbig; and Daniel Howard Alvarez and his wife, Karlene Alvarez. He also leaves behind his cherished grandchildren, Madison Sutton, Dempsey Sutton, Gil Rosenberg, Redding Herbig, and Bennett Herbig. He is further survived by his brothers-in-law, Francisco Fernandez and Harry Muller; his sister-in-law, Sherry Byrd; his nephew, Francisco Fernandez-Alvarez; and his niece, Raquel Fernandez-Alvarez. Born in Alquízar, Cuba, Lucas lived there until the age of 19. He began his studies in Electrical Engineering at the University of Havana before immigrating to the United States in 1960. He settled in Miami, Florida, where he lived with relatives while continuing his education at the University of Miami, earning a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering. In 1963, he was drafted into the United States Army and served honorably for two years. Following his military service, Lucas enrolled at Louisiana State University in 1965, where he earned a master's degree in Electrical Engineering. On just his second day on campus, he met the love of his life, Betty, whom he married less than a year later, beginning a devoted partnership that would span nearly five decades. Lucas enjoyed a distinguished career with IBM, where he worked for 25 years before retiring. Never one to remain idle, he continued his professional pursuits as an executive-level design engineering consultant with TransQuest for several additional years. After retiring from consulting, Lucas embraced life's quieter pleasures, especially traveling with Betty and pursuing his interests in finance and investing. A man of deep faith, Lucas was a lifelong Catholic. He was a member of St. Ann Catholic Church in Cobb County before moving to Cumming, Georgia, where he worshipped at St. Brendan the Navigator Catholic Church for the past eight years. Lucas never forgot where he came from and loved sharing stories about his childhood in Alquízar and his life in Cuba before coming to the United States. He spoke often about his mother and her wonderful cooking, which remained some of his fondest memories throughout his life. He carried those family traditions forward by preparing a traditional Cuban Christmas Eve meal each year, bringing everyone together to celebrate, laugh, and enjoy time with one another. Lucas loved making people smile and was never happier than when he was telling stories or one of his silly jokes, especially his famous "El Sombrero" joke that became a favorite among family and friends. Above all else, Lucas loved his family. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend who was always generous with his time, advice, and love. He had a quick wit, a kind heart, and a unique way of making people feel welcome. We will miss his stories, his laughter, his holiday traditions, and the countless memories he created with all of us. While our hearts are broken by his loss, we find comfort in knowing that he is once again with his beloved Betty. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society