James Earl Lukens was born to George Lukens and Mabel Clara (Garten)
    Lukens on February 13, 1916. Helen Lee Coleman was born to Frederick 
    and Laura Coleman of Danville, Kansas, On December 28, 1926. 
       Helen enjoyed staying with her cousin, Mrs. Carl Stranathan. Carl 
    Stranathan was sheriff of Barber County at the time Helen graduated from 
    High School. While staying with the Stranathans she and Jim met. On January 
    1, 1944, three days after Helen's eighteenth birthday, Helen and Jim were 
    married. Jim's uncle, Glenn Lukens performed the ceremony.
       Jim and Helen became the parents of four children: Patricia Kay, born
    on May 12, 1947; Gordon Dale, born on June 21, 1950; Clay John, born on
    February 2, 1953; and Gay Lynn, born on February 2, 1954.
       Jim broke horses to supplement the income from the farm. As the children
    grew up, he and the boys "cow-boyed" for many area ranches. Gay also helped
    whenever she could. Coyote hunting was a favorite sport and Jim like to 
    hunt, often taking one of the children along. When Pattie was quite small,
    the pickup door came open while they were hunting. She grabbed the door
    handle and hung on till the pickup stopped. Then she fell, and rolled down
    into the ditch, uninjured. One year Jim caught 87 coyotes.
       Pattie spent quite a lot of time with Grandpa George Lukens. George liked
    to dance and sometimes took the little girl along. When she was three, they
    went to a dance at the VFW Hall. Pattie fell asleep and Grandpa picked her 
    up to take her to the car, but he slipped on the steps, and Patti's leg was
    broken.
       Gordon also liked to hunt coyotes. He also loved to fish. When he was 
    only eight, Gordon cought a ten pound channel cat in the river near their
    home.
       Clay was always small for his age, and full of mischief. He loved to play
    cowboy in an old battered felt hat. Once he rode a steer at the local arena
    and bucked off. People were indignant that such a small child was allowed to
    ride. Although Clay was five, he looked to be about three. In high school
    both boys enjoyed gymnastics and Clay participated in the State Tournament
    twice.
       Gay followed her brothers and copied everything they did. She loved horses
    just as they did. As a pre-schooler, she trained a colt so she could lock her
    arms around his neck, pick up her feet, and he would trot around. Gay and
    Smoky, her black quarter horse, were a familiar sight at local rodeos. They
    qualified for the National Little Britches Rodeo, twice.
       Our Mom, Helen has always been there when we needed her. She was a busy
    lady, with her family, caring for Grandpa George, doing barn chores, and
    doing all she could for each of us. Today, she still helps her children and
    grandchildren, and stays busy knitting, baking and driving a school bus.
       We children are grown now. I, Pattie, married Bill Barnard in 1966, and
    we have four children; James Willim, Beth Ann, Julia Leigh, and Christopher
    Orin. Gordon farms with Dad. Clay left home, as a young man to do what he
    liked best - work with cattle and horses. He worked as a cowboy for Hitch
    Feedlots in Guymon, Oklahoma and was fatally injured there on November 12,
    1977.
       Gay is now Mrs. Terry Cummins, and she and Terry live at Iuka, Kansas.
    Jim, Helen, and Gordon still live on the family farm.
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 285 
     Submitted by: Pattie Barnard