Photos: Jack Lussier's legacy
Jack Lussier’s philanthropy touched many lives, especially among children. Lussier, who formerly served as the chairman of The Capital Times board and the president of The Evjue Foundation, the charitable arm of the Cap Times, contributed millions of dollars to projects around the city, many of which bear his name, including: both the east and west branches of the Lussier Family YMCA plus Jack’s splash pad at the East Y, the Lussier Teen Center at the Goodman Community Center, the Lussier Family Heritage Center, the Lussier Community Education Center, Lussier Stadium at La Follette High School, Lussier Park at Fish Lake, Lussier scholarships at MATC and several features at the Henry Vilas Zoo. Lussier was also the nephew and one of the principal heirs of William T. Evjue, the founder of The Capital Times. Lussier died on Friday at age 90.
Said Betty Harris Custer, who chaired the capital campaign for the Lussier Community Education Center, “(Madison’s) a much better place because Jack Lussier lived here. All any of us can hope for is that we’ve left a mark on the community we lived in.”

From left to right, Andy Koch and Oheneba Asare of the La Follette Lancers huddle with Jack Lussier, who funded the stadium, and Eric Johnson and Jeremy Thornton of the East High Purgolders. At the time of this photo in August 2003, new locker rooms were being installed at Lussier Stadium.
- PHOTO BY HENRY A. KOSHOLLEK

In 2010, Jack Lussier donated money to build a new "education garden" (shown behind him) at Madison's Henry Vilas Zoo. The garden, as well as a walkway and viewing deck, are at the entrance to the Children's Zoo. The 25 plants are intended to teach visitors, especially children, about garden fruits and vegetables and will be fed to the animals. Lussier, chairman of the board of The Capital Times Co., also contributed the Jack Lussier Conservation Education Pavilion in the heart of the zoo.
- PHOTO BY MICHELLE STOCKER

Former Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, center, is pictured in this file photo from Nov. 30, 2004, announcing another $700,000 in donations - half of the remaining $1.4 million that was needed for Madison's first public swimming pool. Irwin and Robert Goodman gave $500,000, bringing their total gift to $2.5 million. Standing with Cieslewicz are, from left, Judy Lowell of American Family Insurance, which gave $100,000, Jack Lussier of the Evjue Foundation, which gave $100,000, fund-raising committee co-chair Rick Phelps and pool committee chairman Nino Amato.
- PHOTO BY JOSEPH W. JACKSON III -- STATE JOURNAL

In this file photo from September 2008, East High School's John Rodin works on algebra lessons with students inside the Lussier Teen Center, which moved from its previous home on East Washington Avenue and became part of the Goodman Community Center.
- PHOTO BY JOHN MANIACI - STATE JOURNAL

In this file photo, Bill Lunney, Chair of Dane County Park Commission, (far right) talks with Kathleen Falk, (l-r), former Dane County Executive, Rick Phelps, former Dane County Executive, Jonathan Barry, former Dane County Executive, and Joe Parisi, Dane County Executive during the Friends of Dane County Parks Endowment Fundraiser at the Lussier Family Heritage Center on May 15, 2014.
- PHOTO BY MICHELLE STOCKER
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From left to right, Andy Koch and Oheneba Asare of the La Follette Lancers huddle with Jack Lussier, who funded the stadium, and Eric Johnson and Jeremy Thornton of the East High Purgolders. At the time of this photo in August 2003, new locker rooms were being installed at Lussier Stadium.
- PHOTO BY HENRY A. KOSHOLLEK
In 2010, Jack Lussier donated money to build a new "education garden" (shown behind him) at Madison's Henry Vilas Zoo. The garden, as well as a walkway and viewing deck, are at the entrance to the Children's Zoo. The 25 plants are intended to teach visitors, especially children, about garden fruits and vegetables and will be fed to the animals. Lussier, chairman of the board of The Capital Times Co., also contributed the Jack Lussier Conservation Education Pavilion in the heart of the zoo.
- PHOTO BY MICHELLE STOCKER
Former Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, center, is pictured in this file photo from Nov. 30, 2004, announcing another $700,000 in donations - half of the remaining $1.4 million that was needed for Madison's first public swimming pool. Irwin and Robert Goodman gave $500,000, bringing their total gift to $2.5 million. Standing with Cieslewicz are, from left, Judy Lowell of American Family Insurance, which gave $100,000, Jack Lussier of the Evjue Foundation, which gave $100,000, fund-raising committee co-chair Rick Phelps and pool committee chairman Nino Amato.
- PHOTO BY JOSEPH W. JACKSON III -- STATE JOURNAL
In this file photo, Bill Lunney, Chair of Dane County Park Commission, (far right) talks with Kathleen Falk, (l-r), former Dane County Executive, Rick Phelps, former Dane County Executive, Jonathan Barry, former Dane County Executive, and Joe Parisi, Dane County Executive during the Friends of Dane County Parks Endowment Fundraiser at the Lussier Family Heritage Center on May 15, 2014.
- PHOTO BY MICHELLE STOCKER
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Lussier, who died on Friday, was a major Madison philanthropist. He contributed millions of dollars to projects around the city, many of which bear his name.
To the Madison Community: