Leonard Lukes

Leonard V. Lukes, age 93 of Protivin, Iowa died Thursday afternoon, January 7, 2010, at Gunderson Hospital in LaCrosse, WI. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, January 11, 2010, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Protivin with Rev. David M. Beckman celebrating the Mass. Leonard’s wife and children will place the pall on the casket. Marlene Pecinovsky will be the organist with Mirium Humpel, vocalist. His four children will present the offertory gifts. Lectors for the service will be Lynn Franzen, Andrea Riley and Leah Cress. Interment will be in the church cemetery with Keith Lukes, Greg Lukes, Randy Lukes, Dana Svenson, Matt Cress and Jamie Schwade as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers are Julie Schwade, Lori Lukes, Lynn Franzen, Carla Lukes, Dawn Kirchert, Andrea Riley, Amanda Balik, Alyson Kramer, Leah Cress and Angie Cress. Friends may call 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. Sunday at Hugeback’s Protivin Funeral Home, Protivin, where there will be a 4:00 p.m. Knights of Columbus Rosary and a 6:00 p.m. Scripture Service. Visitation continues 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Leonard was born June 15, 1916, on the Lukes Family Farm near Protivin in Chickasaw County, IA, the son of Rudolph and Albina (Riha) Lukes. He received his education in Protivin. On October 6, 1937, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Protivin, he married Bernadine Kalishek. To this union five childen were born. The couple farmed southeast of Protivin for 32 years until 1969 when they moved into the town of Protivin. While in town, Leonard drove school bus for 15 years, worked at the Lumber Yard in Protivin and was a janitor at the church for four years. He was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and Catholic Workman. Leonard enjoyed the outdoors, especially trout fishing and working with his horses. He never really retired from farming as he continued helping his son until his later years. Survivors include his wife of 72 years, Bernadine; two sons, Russell (Agnes) Lukes of Protivin and Ron Lukes (Judy Bartlett) of Decorah; two daughters, Janice (Gary) Johnson of Spillville and Shirley (John) Svenson of Webster City; a son-in-law, Dave Cress of Minneapolis; seventeen grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; one sister, Grace (Max) Slifka of Cresco; two sisters-in-law, Florence Lukes of Robbins, IA and Ursula Wagner of Protivin. He was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Diane Cress; one brother, Marvin Lukes; two sisters, Alice Fencl and Doris Svec.