LUTES, Harry E., Jr.

Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff, AZ Sunday, April 11, 2010 Harry E. Lutes Jr., 70, of Easton, Pa., passed away Friday, April 9, 2010, in VNA of St. Luke's Hospice House, after a battle with cancer. He was born on May 23, 1939 in Easton, to Harry E. Lutes Sr. and Olive Grube Lutes Martin. He and his wife, the former Ruth Ann Murray, celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary on Oct. 3, 2009. Mr. Lutes retired as a registered nurse from Easton Hospital where he was employed for 30 years, working mostly in the orthopedics department. He was named in the 1990 Who's Who in Nursing Excellence at Easton Hospital. He graduated from Easton High School in 1958 and received his associate's degree in nursing from Northampton Community College in 1977. Harry served as a corpsman in the Navy from 1958 to1962. He loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. Mr. Lutes was an avid bingo player, enjoyed crafts, gardening and traveling to Arizona to be with his daughter's family in Flagstaff. He made many friends here, especially after the recent death of his grandson, Dawson Merrick, in September 2009. He was a member of St. John's Church on Morgan Hill. He was also a member of Pennsylvania Nurses Association and the United Independent Union, where he had served on the bargaining committee and was a former treasurer for many years. Mr. Lutes is survived by his wife, Ruth Ann; daughters, Lisa Lutes-Virgilio and her husband, Philip, of Williams Township, Pa., Audra Merrick and her husband, Donn, of Flagstaff and Heather Hacker and her husband, Scott, of Nazareth, Pa.; five grandchildren; sister, Carol Hughes and her husband, Ron, of Nazareth; and many nieces and nephews. Preceeding Mr. Lutes in death was grandson Dawson Merrick, who passed away Sept. 19, 2009 after a courageous battle with leukemia. A brother, Thomas F. and two sisters, Linda Sutton and Sandra Setcer, died earlier. Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday in St. John's Church on Morgan Hill, 2720 Morgan Hill Road, Easton. Call Tuesday 6 to 8 p.m. in the Strunk Funeral Home, Inc., 2101 Northampton St., Easton. Burial will be in St. John's Union Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to VNA Hospice of St. Luke's, 1510 Valley Center Parkway, Suite 200, Bethlehem, PA 18017 or St. John's Church on Morgan Hill, Easton, PA 18042