James "Jim" Luce, age 74, of Meshoppen, PA passed away Thursday morning, April 25, 2019 at The Gardens at Tunkhannock, PA.

Jim was born on September 21, 1944 in Luzerne County, PA the son of the late George N. (d. July 6, 1985) and Nellie Baker Luce (d. April 20, 1999).

He was a graduate of Elk Lake High School with the class of 1962 and Penn State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture Education. He is also a graduate of the Penn State Coordinated Kellogge Rural Leadership program. Jim began as a teacher with the Elk Lake School District, but later began his farming career on his fifth-generation farm, Luce Farms, in Meshoppen Township.

Jim was highly involved in many organizations in and around Wyoming County. He has served on the Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative board of directors since January 2003 and currently held the position of chairman. He was a Credentialed Cooperative Director and has completed Board Leadership certification training from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He also represented Claverack as the vice president on the board of directors for C&T Enterprises, the for-profit management services subsidiary of Claverack and Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperatives, and is secretary of the Wellsboro Electric board of directors. Jim had served as a board member on the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association since 2013; and served on PREA's Scholarship Committee and as Chairman on PREA's Legislative & Regulatory Committee.

Jim served as chairman of the Wyoming County Farmland Preservation Board and was a director on the Wyoming County Conservation District board, representing that board on the Endless Mountains Resource, Conservation and Development council, and a member of the Endless Mountains Heritage Region board of directors. He is former 4-H leader and lifetime NRA member, a member of the Tunkhannock Lions Club, the South Auburn Grange #1188, the Meshoppen Rod & Gun Club, and the president of the Meshoppen Men's Club. Jim enjoyed camping, taking trips out west to hunt. He was always reading and learning new things especially about farming.

Jim is survived by his daughter, Jaime Luce-Bartels and her husband, Jim, of Meshoppen, PA and his best friends Ed and Diane Miller of Meshoppen, PA.

A funeral service for Jim will be held on Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 11:00 from the Sheldon Funeral Home, 8206 SR 6, Meshoppen with Pastor Vickie Ellis of the Beaver Meadows Church, Inc. officiating. Interment will follow at the Overfield Cemetery. Family and friends may call at the funeral home on Monday, April 29, 2019 from 1:00-3:00 PM and 6:00-8:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in Jim's name to the Tunkhannock Lions Club, P.O. Box 523, Tunkhannock, PA 18657 or to the South Auburn Grange #1188, C/O Nellie Benninger, 191 Sharkey Lane, Meshoppen, PA 18630.

Online condolences may be made at www.sheldonfuneralhomes.com .