In this small gesture, Luster put his best trait on display in his final days.

“He always worried about other people,” said his wife of 29 years, Carol Luster. “He always put himself second and wanted to take care of everybody. He was the mediator who said, ‘Let’s think it out.’”

Luster, an MSU family and child ecology professor known for his humble and generous nature, died Saturday of a heart attack while in Chicago. He was 55.

On Monday, family and MSU faculty remembered Luster as a dedicated teacher, loving family man and avid outdoorsman.

After receiving his doctorate degree in 1985 from Cornell University, Luster arrived at MSU and poured his heart into teaching students about families and child development.

He always tried to learn all of his students’ names — even in large lectures — and made an effort to keep three-hour-long graduate classes entertaining, colleagues said.

“He was just incredibly committed to students,” said chairwoman of the Department of Family and Child Ecology Karen Wampler. “He took his teaching very seriously. He cared about his students and individuals. He was a scholar and wanted them to learn about child development.”

One area of Luster’s research expertise — the Lost Boys of Sudan — gave him another outlet for helping those in need. After about 40 Lost Boys arrived in the Lansing area in March 2001, Luster and other faculty members helped the boys find jobs, living spaces and a sense of home in Michigan.

“Tom is the most humble man I’ve ever met in my life,” said family and child ecology professor Francisco Villarruel, a colleague of Luster’s since 1992. “With the kids in Sudan, the things he’s done with them and for them is above and beyond what anyone would do with them professionally.”

Luster grew particularly close to one Lost Boy of Sudan — Sisimayo Henry.

Over the course of eight years, Luster helped Henry assimilate to American culture, become a U.S. citizen and graduate from Grand Valley State University.

“Tom became his U.S. dad and I became his U.S. mom — and he would call us that,” Carol Luster said of Henry.

Off campus, Luster embraced the outdoors by biking, kayaking and canoeing. He and his wife often would return to his hometown of Lansing, Iowa, for the Fourth of July and enjoy a five-hour float down the Mississippi River.

Back in East Lansing, Luster and friends would make the 20-mile round-trip bike ride to Sweetie-licious Pie Pantry in Dewitt a few times each year.

Because he grew up in Iowa, Luster always was a consummate Cheesehead, rooting for the Green Bay Packers every Sunday and attending a couple of home games.

“He said that was one of his greatest thrills of his life, just to be among everybody there at Lambeau Field,” Villarruel said.

Luster is survived by his wife; daughter Anna, 23, an MSU alumna; and son Ben, 21, a University of Michigan senior.

A memorial service for Luster is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at University United Methodist Church, 1120 S. Harrison Road.

The Department of Family and Child Ecology is planning a gathering for members of the university community Friday afternoon and requests that those interested in attending contact the department at (517) 355-7680.