BOONTON — Luke Warbeck, 17, Lincoln Park, died tragically in an accident with his father Jon, on Tuesday, February 19. Luke was a junior at Boonton High School with plans to graduate in 2020.
Luke was born on December 20, 2001, and it’s fair to say that when he entered the world, things would never be the same. Luke’s parents were amazed at his curiosity about how all things mechanical worked. It was not long before he was taking apart engines to test his ability to get them back together. Luke was a gregarious and mischievous kid most of the time, but always respectful of others. Besides being so mechanically inclined, his favorite class in school was woodshop. One teacher described him as a very talented woodworker. Luke had a very special relationship with his father. They spent more time together than many fathers and sons and they shared so many common interests. Luke’s dream was to someday have his own construction company like his father did and he surely would have been a great success. Luke was always enterprising. From mowing lawns to clearing snow, he always found a way to earn some extra money.
As a young kid, Luke was on the Lincoln Park Swim Team, and he was also a Boy Scout, reaching the rank of Life Scout. He also fell in love with riding dirt bikes and quads since the early age of five. After construction, riding became his second passion. As a young boy he learned to run heavy construction equipment while working with his father. He was a natural in any machine and could run many of them like a pro. Since getting his driver’s license in December, he had fun plowing snow as well. He simply loved to work and was good at whatever he set his mind to.
As just about any teenage boy should understand, Luke fell in love with his first truck: a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 with a Cummins diesel. He loved it so much that he slept in it for three days when he first got it. He just couldn’t get enough of that truck. Nothing could wipe the smile off of his face and he was just so proud. He had always enjoyed monster trucks as a little boy, and now he had his own to drive around in. He had big plans to customize it and make it ‘his’ in every way.
Luke is survived by his heartbroken mom; Gina Warbeck of Lincoln Park, his grandpa; Frank Elefante of Lincoln Park, his grandmother; Patricia Warbeck (nee Kayser) of Carlstadt, aunts and uncles; Joseph Elefante of Pompton Plains, James Elefante and his wife Debbie of Lincoln Park, Andrew Elefante and his wife Donna of Lincoln Park, Toni Smith and her husband Rich of Lincoln Park, Kimberly Warbeck of Elizabeth, Linda Riveros and her husband Henry of Carlstadt, and Dana Pereira and her husband Jeff of Oakland, and his many cousins. Luke was predeceased by his grandmother Vivian Elefante in 2007, and by his grandfather; John Warbeck in 2016.
Friends may visit with the family from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 24, at Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. Funeral services will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 24 at the funeral home, following the visiting hours.
Those wishing to make a donation in Luke’s memory are asked to consider the Pequannock Animal Shelter, 11 Washington Street, Pompton Plains, New Jersey 07444.
