The family of Léon André Luyckx of Montrose, CO announces his passing, and invites all who knew him to remember him here.
Below, the family shares some of what made his life meaningful.
Léon held deeply to the Catholic faith — and was, by all accounts, loved by those who knew him best.
Faith gave Léon a place to stand, and a place to return to.
Léon André Luyckx (93, Montrose, Colorado) passed away peacefully at home on 2 May 2026. He was born on 8 April 1933, and grew up the eldest of six children in Louvain, Belgium to Professor André and Hélène Luyckx.Léon was educated in the Jesuit schools in Belgium and kept a strong faith in God, attending Mass each week. He received Masters degrees in Mining & Geological Engineering from the Catholic University of Louvain. His lifelong career was in geological and metallurgical engineering and research during which he earned 16 patents in steel making and has numerous publications.Léon married the love of his life Claire in 1958. In 1967, he moved his family with 5 young children from Belgium to western Pennsylvania where his children all finished High School. He also lived in Ontario, Ohio, New Mexico, and retired to his beloved southwestern Colorado in 2000.Léon’s life passions included his love for jeeping and hiking in the mountains, traveling and cruising, playing bridge, and continuous learning in the sciences and history. He accepted with grace the blindness from macular degeneration in the last two decades of his life, and did not let it deter him from enjoying life.Léon is predeceased by his son Dr. Benoît A. Luyckx, son-in-law Kurt Geary, daughter-in-law Catherine Stegemeier Luyckx, and his sister Chantal Bourgoignie. He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Claire Luyckx, his children Joëlle Geary, André & Susan Luyckx, Benoît’s widow Kimberly Luyckx, Evelyne & Magnus Elgqvist, and Nathalie Marshall, and 15 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.The funeral mass will be held at St. Daniel’s Catholic Church in Ouray, Colorado at 11 AM on 8 May 2026 with interment following at Cedar Hill Cemetery, and a luncheon at St. Daniel’s. If you order any floral arrangements, please have them delivered to Crippin Funeral Home on Thursday afternoon.
