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Louis P. Lueck
1932- 2016
Louis P. Lueck, 83, of Watertown,
was born to eternal life with his wife at his side on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, at
Rainbow Hospice in Johnson Creek.
Visitation will be at Hafemeister
Funeral Home on Saturday from 5-8 p.m. Funeral
services will be held on Sunday at 3 p.m. at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Watertown with the Rev. Todd Iverson officiating. Family and friends may gather at the church
Sunday from 2 p.m. until the time of the service. Burial with military
graveside rites performed by VFW Post 3709 will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery in Watertown.
Louis Paul Lueck was born on Feb.
14, 1932, in Watertown, the son of Mamie (Stuelke)
and William Lueck. He attended Watertown High School class of
1950. He served active duty in the
United States Air Force during Korea and Vietnam. He was stationed at many bases during his
tenure in the military, but one of the most memorable for his family was their
time living in Japan. He was past
governor and Fellow of the Moose Lodge. In 2010, he was honored on the cover of Airventure Today, the daily newspaper of the EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, for his service on AC-47 gunships in
Vietnam. These were slow, low-flying
planes sent in to protect American ground troops from harm.
On June 2, 1956, he married his beloved wife, Florence Wuestenberg, at the parsonage of St. Mark’s in Watertown.
Louie spent his 22-year career in the United States Air
Force as a technical sergeant, flight engineer and gunner, flying over 600
combat missions with his unit (Spooky) earning numerous awards and medals. After the military, he did fabrication and
maintenance at Ladish Malt in Jefferson Junction. Subsequent to his “retirement” from Ladish, Louie worked at JWR, Inc. in Johnson Creek training
many protégés in welding and fabrication. In addition, he enjoyed being a mentor to
staff at his son’s company Lueck Metal Recycling. His knowledge and integrity was invaluable. He was a member of Immanuel Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Watertown and the VFW. Until his illness, Louie enjoyed swimming,
roller-skating and camaraderie with his friends.
Louie was a dependable and steadfast friend to so many people
too numerous to list. All who knew him felt his love.
Louis is survived by his wife of 59 years, Florence of
Watertown; four children, Judy Lueck (Horicon), Gary Lueck (Gallup, N.M.), Paula Riedl (Watertown) and Keith
(Rita) Lueck (Watertown); five grandchildren,
Jennifer (Matthew) Smith (Janesville), Ben (Maria) Foust (Phoenix City, Ala.),
Joshua (Gabriela) Riedl (Watertown), Jesse (Audrey) Foust (Cary, N.C.), Emmy
(Blake) Washburn (Iron Ridge); his dear brother Earl (Judy) Lueck
(Watertown), and two sisters Esther Else (Watertown) and Janet (Bob) Burdick
(Marquette); his sister-in-law Helen Nelson (Gresham, Ore.), his sister-inlaw Margaret Lueck (Watertown);
his nieces and nephews, Wanda Welch (Sturtevant), Jeff Sommerfeldt
(Bristol), Sharone (Marshal) Perlman (Aliso Viejo,
Calif.), Nancy (Matt) Woodhouse (Happy Valley, Ore.), Bill Burdick (Madison);
six great-grandchildren, Trevor and Skylar Foust, Rileigh
Smith, Mya Washburn, Cooper Foust and Mason Riedl. He is further survived by
many friends and relatives.
Pallbearers at the service will be Joshua Riedl, Ben Foust,
Dave Wolf, Spencer Lueck, Blake Washburn and Matthew
Smith.
Louis was preceded in death by his parents, his uncle Edward
(Gladys) Lueck, two brothers Art Stuelke
and Willy Lueck, his mother-in-law Esther Schwantes, his brother-inlaw
Daniel Nelson, his sister-in-law Carol Sommerfeldt, a
daughter Kathleen Jayne, and his nephew James Lueck.
Before his passing, Louie expressed his wish to thank each
and every person at Rainbow Hospice for his wonderful care.
Memorials may be made to the Watertown Moose Lodge, the USAF
Spooky Brotherhood or the Watertown Humane Society.
History of Watertown, Wisconsin