Tomah - Juergen L. Lucka, aged 91 ½, of Tomah, WI, passed away suddenly at his winter residence in Niland, CA, with his wife, Del and son, Steve at his side.
Juergen was born September 8, 1931, the second son to Helen (Kraft) and Adolph Lucka in Milwaukee, WI. He was always proud of his parents and their German heritage. He grew up with a small family as his grandparents and most aunts and uncles were in Germany.
He attended Immanuel and then Atonement Lutheran grade schools. After one year at Milwaukee Lutheran High School, his parents transferred him to Milwaukee Boys Technical School, as he indicated he wouldn’t follow his grandfather and become a minister.
Juergen joined the Air Force and was stationed at many bases including in Japan and Ramey, in Puerto Rico. Later in life, he renewed his many friendships from the Air Force, and they were like brothers. A great time was when they held a reunion in Puerto Rico. He was an American Legion and VFW member, of which he was very active in Milwaukee, West Bend and Germantown, where he was a Washington County Commander.
Juergen married Delpha Murdock on September 1, 1956, at Atonement Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. Together they had two sons, Stephen and Rick. The family lived in Milwaukee where Juergen and Del were active with their sons in many activities.
Juergen was with the AO Smith Corp for 30 years. First as an apprentice tool and die maker and later as Supervisor of the Tool Division. The family was very active in their local Lutheran church and many Christian organizations including Billy Graham’s events where Juergen wore a badge indicating that he was a bilingual counselor.
The highlight of Juergen’s adventurous life, other than family, which was always the most important, was his teaching of God’s Word. Early retirement and graduating from Berean Bible College in 1991, gave to him many precious years to teach and preach. Before becoming a licensed minister, he was speaking and teaching as God opened doors for him. His first actual preaching was in the Waupun state prison. He was ordained in 1993 in the Southern California District by the General Council of the Assemblies of God. Juergen became known as Brother Luke as he and Del traveled and he preached from coast to coast, in Mexico, and in the German language countries in Europe. He struggled and learned theological terms in German and worked a tent crusade in Austria. The greatest day was when he preached, in German, from the pulpit of a church his grandfather had founded.
Juergen or Luke, as he was called, studied until the last day of his life. He had held crusades and filled interim pastor positions across the country. He was, at the time of his death, interim pastor at the Bombay Beach Baptist Church, where he preached on Palm Sunday and died on Holy week, Monday.
He leaves behind to carry on, his wife, Del; and sons, Stephen (Kerry) and Rick (Lora) Lucka, and grandchildren who called him Opa, Steve and Kerry’s daughter, Sarah Lucka and her children, Ezekial, Josiah and Adelin Gomez, and Rick and Lora’s children, Josh (Allison) Lucka, and their daughter, Brooke (Wyatt Matthews) with great great grandson, Lucka Matthews, their son, Connor and daughter Addison; Christina (Clint) Donovan and their children, Noah and Lily, and Samuel Lucka. He is further survived by his sisters-in-law, Barbara Goetzka, Bonnie (Barry) Taylor, Justa (James) Small, and Merita (Jeff Schaezle) Murdock; nephews and nieces, Mark (Wendy) Lucka, Randy (Pam) Lucka, Lucinda (Brian) Kucaj, Randy (Danita) Murdock, Linda (Kevin) Pierce, Cindy (Larry) Stetzer, Ryan (Samantha) Murdock, Melissa (Ken) Hodes, and David (Michelle) Kuehl.
Many families and friends preceded him in death as he lived 91 plus years. He forever and deeply missed them. Preceding and awaiting a reunion with their son were his parents, Adolph and Helen Lucka; his brother, Gilbert and wife Charlotte; his aunts and uncles, mostly from Germany, with whom he spent many happy hours.
Preceding him also was Del’s family, whom he considered his family. Her parents, George and Joyce (Gleason) Murdock; brothers, Phillip and Keith Murdock, and grandparents, plus aunt and uncles, and nephew, Daniel Kuehl.
Memorial Services will be held on Thursday, May 11, 2023, 11:00 a.m. at the Bible Evangelical Free Church in Tomah. Pastor Neil Nelson will officiate. A private burial will be held at the Warren Mills Cemetery. The Torkelson Funeral Home in Tomah is assisting the family Online condolences may be offered at www.torkelsonfuneralhome.com
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