Former ‘SLB’ co-host passes

Family and friends of former “Saturday Light Brigade” co-host Bill Lucker are mourning his passing after a nearly two-year battle with brain cancer.

“SLB” creator and host Larry Berger reports that Lucker died peacefully early Wednesday morning.

“Rikki and I saw Bill on February 11th,” Berger told PBRTV. “He was lucid, sure-witted and good-humored, despite being aware that his course of treatment had reached its limits.”

Berger founded “SLB” at WYEP-FM (91.3) in 1978. Project manager at a major engineering company, Lucker joined the program as a producer and co-host in 1984, Berger says, then took a sabbatical in 2003 to care for his father.

“We — along with tens of thousands of listeners — will never forget his incredible storehouse of information in the hard-drive of his head, loyalty as a friend, good-natured stubbornness in his convictions and wonderful laugh,” Berger says.

Now an independent production owned by a non-profit corporation and funded through grants and donations, “SLB” airs on Pittsburgh’s WRCT-FM (88.3) and four other non-commercial radio stations.

Lucker remained friends with Berger and his wife, Rikki, and was a member of SLB’s Advisory Board.

Lucker, 46, is survived by his mother Devera “Debbie” Lucker, cousin Edyth Dickman of Monroeville, sister Roberta (Lucker) Kitchenoff and family of Wynewood, Pa., and uncle Marvin Bluhm and family of Florida.

The funeral is scheduled for 2 p.m. tomorrow at Ralph Schugar Chapel, 5509 Centre Ave., Shadyside, with interment to follow at B’nai Israel Cemetery, Greensburg.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions may be made to Parkway Jewish Center, 300 Princeton Dr., Pittsburgh 15235; or Forbes Hospice, 115 S. Neville St., Pittsburgh 15213.