Tommy Liuke, the happy round little man with the big smile and the physical and emotional bounce, died Wednesday afternoon of a heart ailment that had plagued him for many months. He was admitted to Physicians and Surgeons Hospital on July 29, the culmination of a series of illnesses which included a bout of pneumonia last March and April. He was 69 years old. He had sold flowers to generations of Portlanders since he was 17, a span of more than a half century. Between bouquets, he;d found time to lead singing at the ballpark, direct Navy Day celebrations, help nominate Tom Dewey twice for he presidency and promote Portland, its climate, people and Tommy Luke's flowers across the land. He was born in Grass Valley, Calif., Dec. 29, 1889, and his parents brought him to Portland when he was six months old. In 1897, his father was appointed deputy collector of customs at Skagway, Alaska, and the boy spent several years in that then lawless area. Back in Portland, after a brief time in Kent, Wash., young Luke returned to the old Brooklyn schoolk where he whetted a life-long appetite for baseball at second base on the school team. When he finished school in 1906, he worked briefly for the Ira F. Powers Furniture Co., then at 17 went to work at $1 a day a Max Smith's flower shop. In 1920, he bought out Max Smith. Throughout his career he was active in the Florist Telegraphy Delivery association and was president of it two terms in the early 1930s. He also was a past president of the Pacific Northwest Florists association. Outside his business field, Mr. Luke served as president of the Portland Rotary club in 1938-1939, was Illustrous Potentate of Al Kader Temple of the Shrine in 1944, was a delegrate to the Republican National Conventions of 1944 and 1948, was president of the Portland Chapter of he Oregon Dads Club, and president of the Navy League of Oregon. He also was a national director of the Shrine Hospitals for Crippled Children and a director of teh Royal Order of Jesters. In radio's early days here, Mr. Luke was a member of KGW Order of the Hoot Owls. For many years, Mr. Luke's floral shop was on SW 6th Ave. between Morrison and Alder Sts., but about 10 years ago it was moved around on Morrison St. at Broadway. At his death, he also operated a shop on NE Sandy Blvd and Luke Acres on N. Portladn Blvd. Survivors include the widow, Mrs. Neita (Sally) Luke; a daughter, Mrs. Winston Selle, Las Vegas, Nev.; a son, Thomas H. Like, Portland; and a sister, Mrs. Ethel Byers, Seattle. His funeral will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday at Finley's Morninglight chapel. (The Oregonian, 06 Aug 1959)

1900 Census: Skagway, Alaska
1910 Census: Portland, Multnomah, Oregon
1920 Census: Portland, Multnomah, Oregon
1930 Census: Portland, Multnomah, Oregon