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FARMDALE -- Luke Alan Durst, 14, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026.
Luke was the kind of person who filled a room with love and laughter. Funny, caring, adventurous and full of life, Luke had a gift for making people smile. He loved to laugh, but what made him happiest was making someone else laugh, even if that meant being a little goofy to get the job done.
Born July 5, 2012, at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital, Luke was the heart of his family. He loved without hesitation. He was the son who still hugged his parents no matter who was watching, the brother who brought life and laughter into the house, and the friend who was always ready for the next adventure. No one ever really met Luke without becoming his friend.
And with Luke, there was always an adventure. His friends loved his honesty, his humor and his willingness to try just about anything fun, sometimes before thinking through how it might turn out. His family and friends will forever have stories that make them laugh, including at least one unforgettable adventure involving PAM cooking spray somehow ending up everywhere.
Luke loved being outside. He loved kicking a soccer ball, riding his four-wheeler and minibike, splitting wood, fishing when the fish were actually biting, hunting with dogs and spending time with his dogs, chickens and cat. He could turn sticks into homemade bats and rocks into baseballs. He loved Legos, funny cartoons, all kinds of sports, animals and his favorite El Torero order, the AP Especial.
Sports gave Luke another place to do what came naturally to him--be part of a team and make friends. He played soccer with All United Soccer Club, travel baseball with the Steel City Hitmen and had recently begun his freshman year joining the soccer team at Cardinal Mooney High School. After attending Joseph Badger Local Schools from kindergarten through eighth grade, Luke felt immediately welcomed and loved by the Cardinal Mooney family.
Luke leaves behind the people who loved him most: his parents, Amanda and Jesse Durst; his sisters, Kami and Ally Durst; his maternal grandparents, Doug and Cindy Bratek; his paternal grandparents, Bruce and Paulette Durst; his aunts, Betsy Bratek and Tiffany (Butch) Kumher; his cousin, Chloe Lambert; and countless friends, teammates, classmates, coaches, teachers and extended family members.
Even in death, Luke continued to give. Through organ and tissue donation, hundreds of lives will be touched and changed. It is a beautiful reflection of the boy Luke was -- generous, loving, and always bringing something good into the lives of others.
Family and friends may visit from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, at Cortland United Methodist Church, 155 N. High St., Cortland. Funeral services will follow at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the church.
Luke's favorite color was yellow, a color that seems especially fitting for someone who brought so much brightness with him. Green represents the gift of organ donation. Those wishing to honor Luke are invited to wear yellow, green or a favorite sports jersey in his memory.
A private burial will take place in Hillside Cemetery, Bazetta Township.
Arrangements are entrusted to Lane Funeral Homes, Shafer-Winans Chapel, Cortland.
There are so many things Luke's family will miss, but perhaps most of all, they will miss his hugs, his laughter and the way he could make people smile when they needed it most.
Luke was surrounded by love, and love poured out of him.
Fourteen years will never feel like enough, but Luke filled those years with enough laughter, friendship, adventure and love to leave a mark that will last a lifetime.
Friends and family may send their heartfelt condolences by visiting www.lanefuneralhomes.com.
(special notice)