Jane and Dean Lucal Register Persons of the Year

SANDUSKY — It's easy to notice problems in the community. But not everyone takes the time and trouble to do something.Dean and Jane Lucal, two attorneys who are longtime Erie County residents, made the news twice in 2018 when they stepped up to help people in the community. The Register's editorial board chose the Lucals as among the community's Persons of the Year.The Lucals, Perkins Township residents, were nominated for the Register's award, without their knowledge, by an old friend, Marian Hancy.Hancy, a retired Perkins Schools English teacher who lives in Huron, wrote to the Register and pointed out that the Lucals, concerned about lack of political participation, organized voter registration campaign this year.A page one article in the Sandusky Register in early October described how the Lucals recruited their friends, obtained precinct maps, and went door to door getting people signed up to vote. In the end, the campaign registered 174 new voters.It was a completely nonpartisan effort, Hancy wrote."It's important to note that this voter registration drive was entirely developed by Dean and Jane alone," Hancy wrote. "No political parties were involved in the registrations of the voters."The Lucals also had made the news in July.In the wake of the June 5 ICE raid on immigrant workers at Corso's Flower and Garden Center, the Lucals organized an effort to obtain donations such as diapers and food to aid people suddenly without jobs who were worried about their future."It is a very sobering experience to visit the families," Jane Lucal told the Register. "The families are concerned about the future and each other. Everyone helps each other to survive.""We are just some individuals that are doing a little to help a bigger problem," she said.Those two efforts made the news, but they are only examples of what the Lucals have done over the years, said Hancy, who said the Lucals don't like attention for their efforts."They both go out of their way to help people who need some assistance in health matters," Hancy said. "They never want any credit."Jane Lucal, probate judge in Erie County from 1985 to 1997, came up with the idea of creating Serving Our Seniors and pushed creation of the agency to completion. The effort to create the agency began about 1995."She was the head kingpin," said Sue Daugherty, executive director of Serving Our Seniors. "It was her vision. She was the key person behind it."One of her early recruits for setting up Serving Our Seniors was CPA Carl McGookey of Payne Nickles and Company. McGookey agreed to help with finances and still serves on the Serving Our Seniors board."They are very knowledgeable, very interested in the community and seeing the community move forward," McGookey said.Dean Lucal, 81, and Jane Lucal, 80, met as students at The Ohio State University, where both attended law school. She was a native of Weston, W. Va., while Dean Lucal was from Berlin Heights.Dean Lucal says he spotted Jane walking on campus, recognized her as a student in a philosophy class they were in, and decided to catch up with her and try to talk to her. According to Hancy, he had to press his case and make several attempts to obtain a date with her.They got married on May 4, 1963, in a candlelight ceremony in a Methodist Church in Weston, W. Va.Hancy said she met the Lucals in 1980 because their daughters were among her students and they've stayed in contact over the years. Jane Lucal is a member of a local book club Hancy organized."She's interesting to follow around," Hancy said. "She knows everyone."The Lucals like to travel to Arizona. Both are avid baseball fans and strong Cleveland Indians supporters."They started going out there so they could go to spring training games," Hancy said.Although both are officially retired, Dean Lucal still practices law sometimes."He's supposed to be retired three years ago and he's not," Hancy said. "He keeps doing estate work for his clients."Dean and Jane Lucal, at an anniversary brunch in West Virginia with in-laws. Jane Lucal, left, during her voter registration campaign, with volunteers Talon Flohr, center, and Marian Hancy.