Ernest P. Luke's Obituary
Ernest P. (Pete) Luke
United States Air Force (retired),
former Chairman of the
Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors
Ernest P. (Pete) Luke, Colonel, United States Air Force
(retired), former Chairman of the Rappahannock County
Board of Supervisors, dies at 92.
After having served 30 years in the Air Force, and 8 years
on the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors repre-
senting the Piedmont District, Pete Luke passed away
peacefully on Thursday, February 24th, after a long illness.
He was born in The District of Columbia, on May 12,
1918, to Ernest and Georgina Luke, British immigrants. At
the age of two, his family moved to Hampton, Virginia,
where he was raised and eventually graduated from Hamp-
ton High School. Despite the advice of his father to follow
the jobs to Detroit, he insisted on following his passion for
engineering. Since the family could not afford a college
education at the time, he worked manual labor jobs and his
father cashed in his life insurance policy to support his son´s
ambitions, thereby enabling him to attend Virginia Poly-
technic Institute (VPI). He graduated from VPI with a degree
in mechanical engineering in 1942.
When the United States entered World War II, he joined
the Army Air Corp, eventually being assigned to the 422nd
Night Fighter squadron. It was while training in Florida that
he met his wife, Joy Turner, and married her in November,
1943. In March 1944, the 422nd was deployed to the Eu-
ropean Theatre of Operations. The 422nd was one of the
most forward deployed air squadrons during the war. As the
front moved east, so did the 422nd, moving through France,
Belgium, and eventually Germany. It was during this cam-
paign that he was awarded the Bronze Star for keeping the
squadron´s P-61 Black Widow night fighters flying by modi-
fying foreign parts.
As the war ended, Pete was assigned to Operation Lusty,
traveling through Europe with Larry Bell of Bell Aircraft to
obtain German jet aircraft technology for the United States,
and to help scientists escape to the west. After the war
ended, he returned to VPI and earned a degree in aeronaut-
ical engineering, and later a Master of Business Administra-
tion degree from the University of Chicago.
For the next 25 years, he advanced through the aero-
space research and development commands of the USAF.
He worked on research and development projects which led
to ejection systems for supersonic aircraft, and the develop-
ment of air to ground missile systems. The quality and value
of his efforts led the USAF to award him the Legion of Merit.
Upon retiring from the Air Force in 1972, Pete and Joy
moved to a house they bought in 1960 outside of Sperryville,
and he became active in the local community, serving as a
member of the Sperryville Rescue Squad and the County
Planning Commission, among other things. He was ap-
pointed to the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors
in 1973 by the Circuit Court to fill a vacancy in the Piedmont
District, and thereafter was elected to serve two additional
four-year terms. He was chosen by the other Board mem-
bers to serve as Chairman on May 2, 1974.
On the Board of Supervisors he sought to modernize
county government in such a way as to preserve the rural
character of the county.Onhis motion, the 1973 Subdivision
and Zoning Ordinances were enacted, documents that laid
the groundwork for the land use policies in the county today.
Pete will be remembered by his family and friends as one
who was devoted to his family, his country and his county.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Joy Turner Luke
of Sperryville, Virginia; his sons: Peter H. Luke and wife
Sharon of Sperryville, and Kim P. Luke and wife Betty of
Potomac, Maryland; four grandchildren: Stephen Luke and
wife Annika, Michelle Luke, Christina Luke, and Benjamin
Luke; and one great grandson: Liam Luke. He is also sur-
vived by his brother, Frederick Luke, and sister, Marjorie
Ramsey, of Newport News, Virginia.
He was predeceased by his sister, Hilda Porter.
His ashes will be buried at the National Cemetery in
Culpeper, Virginia, and a memorial service will be held on
May 28, 2011 at a location in Rappahannock County to be
determined.
What’s your fondest memory of Ernest?
What’s a lesson you learned from Ernest?
Share a story where Ernest's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Ernest you’ll never forget.
How did Ernest make you smile?