Stone Gardens: " Uncle Bill" William Lucas served his flock in Easrtern Oklahoma Oklahoma for decades

In the quiet Glendale community of eastern Oklahoma, where the hills meet the valleys of LeFlore County, a longtime servant of the faith found his final rest.

Rev. William G. Lucas, known affectionately as Uncle Bill to generations of churchgoers, passed away in August 1947 at the age of seventy-three. His death marked the end of a remarkable life dedicated to ministry, family, and the pioneering spirit of the region he had called home for six decades.

Born on March 14, 1874, in Mount Hope, Lawrence County, Alabama, Lucas arrived in Indian Territory as a young boy. His family moved west in February 1883 and settled in the Glendale area by 1887, becoming one of the earliest white families in the eastern part of the old Choctaw Nation.

His father played a key role as one of the organizers of the local Mountain View Cemetery, helping to establish this sacred ground that would one day hold his own son.

The Lucas homestead became a cornerstone of the community, where young William grew up amid the challenges and opportunities of frontier life. He married Mary L. Willibanks on January 24, 1895, and together they raised a family while building a legacy rooted in faith and service.

Ordained in 1900, Lucas entered the ministry at a time when rural churches were vital anchors for scattered settlements. He served as a missionary to LeFlore, Latimer, and Haskell counties, preaching the gospel across Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas.

For many years, he pastored the Mount View Baptist Church in Glendale, where his steady leadership and warm presence earned him the title Uncle Bill.

He was known for his dedication to the Mountain View congregation and for guiding families through the transitions of territorial days, statehood, and beyond. His sermons and pastoral care touched countless lives in an era when traveling ministers often bridged isolated communities.

Lucas and his wife Mary welcomed five children into their home. Three survived him: Mrs. Dena Young of Wister, Mrs. Grace Allison of Howe, and R. G. Lucas of Heavener.

he family home in Glendale stood as a testament to their enduring roots in the land his parents had claimed decades earlier.

After suffering a stroke, Rev. Lucas died at his longtime residence early on a Thursday morning. Funeral services were conducted the following Friday afternoon at the Glendale Mount View Baptist Church, with Rev. J. M. Caskins of Tonkawa, Rev. J. S. Richardson of Talihina, Rev. Elva Adams of Wister, and Rev. Blan of McAlester officiating.

The Hall Funeral Home managed the arrangements, and the churchyard filled with friends and neighbors whose lives he had influenced.

He was laid to rest in Mountain View Cemetery, also known as Glendale Cemetery, south of Wister Lake in the heart of the community he loved and served.

This was the very burial ground his father had helped organize years earlier, a fitting final connection to the land and people he cherished.

The burial ground where he now rests alongside many of the families he ministered to remains a peaceful reminder of the early settlers and faithful leaders who shaped eastern Oklahoma.

Rev. William G. Lucas left behind more than a headstone. His life of quiet devotion, missionary zeal, and community stewardship continues to echo in the churches and stories of the region he helped build.