John George Luyben Jr.

If a baby died or a widow was too poor to bury a spouse, ministers and priests immediately called the founder of Luyben Family Mortuary for help.

"That touched so many people's lives and the ministers and priests knew it," said Martin Luyben, John's son and the business's funeral director. "They knew they could call Luyben's and they could get help from John."

For years, Luyben performed the kind act of burying thousands of people for free, whether it was helping grieving parents lay to rest their babies or helping those without money give their loved ones a proper burial.

That compassion is what many will remember most about Luyben, who died Friday at his Lakewood home after years of battling coronary artery disease and kidney failure. He was 83.

"His honesty, work ethic and his faith in God - that was dad," the younger Luyben said.

Born on Jan. 11, 1927, John George Luyben Jr. was the third of four children raised in Cullman, Ala., about 50 miles north of Birmingham.

He arrived in Long Beach in the late 1940s after serving in the Navy as a medic.

It was around the time that Luyben - an avid churchgoer - met his wife, Rosalie, while praying at St. Anthony Catholic Church.

"She was praying in front of the blessed Virgin Mary statue and he said, `That's the woman I'm going to marry,"' recalled Martin Luyben.

The pair married in 1950 and had seven sons.

Luyben worked for several funeral homes in downtown Long Beach before establishing his own business, Luyben Family Mortuary, in 1967 at 5161 Arbor Road, in an old Los Angeles County fire station. (It's now called Luyben Family Dilday-Mottell Mortuary.)

He was a active businessman and served as past president of the Funeral Directors Association and Embalmers Association of Long Beach.

He also was very active in the community, serving as a member of the Knights of Columbus, Lakewood American Legion, The Holy Name Society and many other organizations.

After he retired in 1993, Luyben spent time with his wife and remained active in his parish, St. Cyprian Catholic Church.

John is survived by wife of 60 years, Rosalie; sons John III, James (Elizabeth), Gregory (Margie), Morris, Thaddeus (Brenda), Joseph (Frances) and Martin (Joanne) Luyben; 34 grandchildren; 30 great- grandchildren and sisters Dolores Bedard and Rita Frey.

Rosary and funeral Mass is at 10:30 a.m. today at St. Cyprian Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, family suggests donations to American Life League, P.O. Box 1350, Stafford, VA 22555.

Luyben Family Dilday-Mottell Mortuary (562) 425-6401

www.luybenfamilyd-m.com