LUEBKE, Richard Lee Sr.

Arizona Daily Star, 21 Dec. 2008 Richard Lee Luebke, Sr. All hearts go home for Christmas, and so it was with our father, Richard Lee (Dick) Luebke, Sr., 78, who passed away Saturday, December 13, 2008, in Tucson, Arizona. A heartfelt thanks to the extraordinary physicians and nursing staff at UMC for giving us seven precious weeks with him. Dick was born November 21, 1930 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, to the late Irving and Gertrude (Bins) Luebke. He grew up in Fond du Lac, attending St. Mary's High Academy, and later Marquette University in Milwaukee. He served his country for three years during the Korean War with the Air Force. In 1952 he married Barbara Thompson (Schoenberg). They raised a family of six children in the Milwaukee area before moving to Arizona in 1969. A short time later, they went their separate ways, and Dick moved to Colorado where he met and married his loving wife of 37 years, JoAnn (Henderson) Luebke. In January 1972, Dick and JoAnn began their dream of offering quality medical career education and founded Pima Medical Institute, now one of the leading medical career colleges in the western United States, currently with ten schools in six states. His success can be attributed to many things, but one of the most important was his love and concern for others, always putting people first. He was also a very hard worker. He enjoyed playing tennis, playing with his dogs, relaxing in Hawaii, bowling, crossword puzzles, Scrabble, stamp and coin collecting, and, most of all, his large and ever-growing family. Surviving Dick are his wife, JoAnn; his six children and their families, Richard L. Luebke, Jr. (Connie), Debbie Gilbert (John), Sharon Judy (Kelly), Greg Luebke, Mark Luebke (Karen), Chris Luebke (Suzie), all of Arizona; as well as his three stepchildren and their families, Paul Jones (Christina), Stan Jones and Bonnie Nevel (Roy) all of Colorado. One of the greatest joys of his life were his 36 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, with one more on the way! He is also survived by his brothers and their families, David Luebke of Tucson, Kenneth (Mary) Luebke, Phillip Luebke and Charlie Luebke all of Wisconsin. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Pauline Henderson and many extended family members, nieces, nephews, and close friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, as well as by his sister, Alice Kirchman (Harvey). Dick was known for his sense of humor and his optimism in the face of difficult challenges. He loved his family and friends with his whole heart, and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. A viewing will be held Friday night, December 19, 2008, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. at BRING'S BROADWAY CHAPEL, 6910 E. Broadway. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. at Christ Community Church, 7801 E. Kenyon Drive, Tucson. Burial will follow at All Faiths Cemetery, 2151 S. Avenida Los Reyes, Tucson, AZ. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Diamond Children's Medical Center at UMC, www.umcarizona.org "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:22). "I am the resurrection, and the life," spoke the Master; "he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die" (John 11:25–26).