Jan. 5, 2005--David J. Luck, 92, an adjunct professor of business administration at UD from 1978-83, died Jan. 2 at his home in Cokesbury Village in Hockessin after a long illness.

A native of Ohio, he received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College, master’s degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and doctorate from the University of Texas.

During World War II, he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. Stationed in Washington, D.C., he worked with the War Production Board, using his business skills to help develop the wartime rationing system.

A prolific author, his classic text, Marketing Research, originally coauthored with Hugh G. Wales and Donald A. Taylor, appeared in seven editions from 1952-87 and in Japanese, Russian, French, Italian and Spanish, among other languages. His other books include Promotional Decision Making: Practice and Theory, Market Strategy, Product Policy and Strategy, Marketing Strategy and Plans and Strategic Marketing Management: Text and Cases.

Dr. Luck taught at the universities of Pennsylvania, Texas and Illinois, Michigan State University and Southern Illinois University, where he chaired the marketing department from 1969-78.

He consulted widely with leading corporations, serving as marketing research coordinator at Ford Motor Co., as senior marketing economist at Stanford Research Institute and as associate director and one of the founders of the Marketing Science Institute in Philadelphia.

A frequent contributor to professional journals, such as the Journal of Marketing and the Harvard Business Review, he served as a director of the American Marketing Association and the Product Development Management Association and as vice president of the Southern Marketing Association.

Dr. Luck is survived by his wife of more than 63 years, Adele, also of Hockessin; three sons, Charles of Port Deposit, Md., David of Oak Park, Ill., and Edward of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 5, in the chapel at Cokesbury Village.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions in Dr. Luck's memory to the PUMH Foundation, 726 Loveville Rd., Suite 3000, Hockessin, DE 19707.