Ed Lucero, a man devoted to helping minorities start their own businesses, died Friday of diabetes complications. He was 73.
A service is planned for 2 p.m. today at Our Lady of Loreto Catholic Church, 18000 E. Arapahoe Road.
Lucero was chairman of the first Denver Job Fair in 1968 and later founded and became chief executive of the Colorado Economic Development Association, which helped minorities start businesses.
“There was a deep strength about him,” said one of his three daughters, Wendy Keefer of Denver. “He taught us all to stand on our own two feet and never give up.”
In a 1972 speech, Lucero said he believed owning a business was a road to power and becoming “part of the system.” Such power, he said, “can help minorities solve many of the problems we are now plagued with.”
Daughter Sue Carrell said she believes her father was driven in part “because he had some doors closed on him because of his race. It made him want to do things for other people who had been told they couldn’t do certain things,” she said.
An accountant by trade, Lucero had connections with Colorado banks, and they helped 1,300 minority-owned businesses get started, according to a 1979 Denver Post story.
“He knew everything about business,” said Jordan Simons of Denver, who deals mostly in real estate. Simons said Lucero was the Certified Public Accountant for him and his mother, Ann Simons of Los Angeles.
“He became a friend. He was very caring and always wanted to see the best results for his clients,” Simons said.
Lucero served on the Federal Reserve Bank Board and on an advisory committee to the Colorado state treasurer.
Edward Lucero was born in Fort Collins on Nov. 18, 1934, and had nine brothers and sisters. The family worked in the sugar-beet fields, Keefer said. Two days after graduating from high school, he was drafted into the Army to serve in Korea.
After his return, he went to Colorado State University on the GI bill and supplemented his income by cooking at a restaurant. He earned his business-administration degree in three years, said daughter Kris Mack of Centennial.
He married Carol Whittaker in 1959. They later divorced.
In addition to his daughters, he is survived by a son, David Lucero of Aurora; 10 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Virginia Culver: 303-954-1223 or vculver@
