David Joseph Lukowski, 66, of Alderson, West Virginia passed away peacefully in the loving embrace of his family on Thursday, August 14, 2025 at Charleston Area Medical Center.

David was born the third of five children to the late William and Josephine Cataldi Lukowski on November 22, 1958 in Wilmington, Delaware. He enjoyed a happy childhood with his siblings and extended family who all lived close by in Delaware.

After attending Delcastle High School for Drafting, he graduated in 1976 and eventually went on to earn a BS in Architecture (1980), from the prestigious Architecture Department at The Catholic University of America. During his college years he met his wife, Mary Jo. They were married following her graduation from CUA in 1982 when they settled in the Washington, D.C. and surrounding area of Maryland, moving several times before purchasing a home in Laurel, Maryland. Here they raised their two children.

David had a great appreciation for the outdoors and enjoyed camping and hiking in his younger years. He was an avid Boy Scout and made it to the rank of Life Scout before graduating high school. He continued to pursue backpacking and wilderness camping on his own. One of his enduringly favorite places to visit was Shenandoah National Park, a love of which he shared with his wife, and eventually their children through frequent visits.

David was always a devoted family man, providing for his family through his long-time employment with Miller and Long Concrete Construction where he proudly served for 38 years as the Senior Estimator. David remained a devout Catholic his entire life and counted his faith as one of the most important things in his life. He taught catechism classes to middle school students for over a decade at his former parish, St. Mary of the Mills in Laurel, Maryland. He also served many years as an Assistant Scout Master for his son’s Boy Scout troop in Laurel.

Throughout his life, David enjoyed the simple things like caring for his home, completing wood-working projects, and spending time with his family and friends by sharing a meal together, watching a football game, or vacationing at the beach in Cape May, New Jersey.

In 2023 David retired from his career in the construction field and when his wife retired from teaching in 2024, they fulfilled a dream of moving to the beautiful mountains of West Virginia to enjoy a slower pace of life. This dream was realized when they purchased a lovely old home overlooking the Greenbriar River in the quiet little town of Alderson. David’s last year of life was spent here where he was content to tend his gardens and his chickens and enjoy the company of his wife, his family, and his pet rabbits and cats.

Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Mary Jo Young Lukowski; son, Kevin Lukowski (Xiomara); daughter, Megan Lukowski-Low (William); brother, William Lukowski; sisters, Debbie Blank (Nelson), Janice Vincelette (Charles) and Rita Crowley (Michael); sister-in-law, Marcia Lukowski and grandchildren, James, Julia Claire, Charles, and Basil Low and his newest grandson born only two days after his passing, Elijah David Lukowski.

David believed in living a humble, modest life replete with a deep appreciation for the blessings of his family and the natural, created world he loved to quietly observe. His steadfast presence, faithful love, and dry humor will be missed by many.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, August 21, 2025 from 6 to 8 PM at Maddox Funeral Home, 105 West Main Street, Front Royal.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, August 22, 2025 at 10:30 AM at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Front Royal, Virginia. Burial will follow at Beahm’s Chapel Cemetery, in Luray Virginia.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in David’s name to one of these two worthy organizations:

Greenbrier Humane Society

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CAMC Foundation Hospitality House (Offers housing to families caring for loved ones in hospital)

Hospitality House