Luke Theodore Kuennen 1931 - 2010

MEYER, KUENNEN, SCHMITT, PAWLICKI, KLEVE, KUHN, WILLIAMS, LUKES, RUSSLER

Posted By: N. Wagner (email)
Date: 3/12/2010 at 19:16:51

A Funeral Mass for Luke T. Kuennen, 78, of Waucoma, Iowa, was celebrated by the Rev. Marvin Salz on Monday, Feb. 15, at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Catholic Church, Festina.

Interment was in the church cemetery. Casket bearers were B.J. Beckman, Brad Kuennen, Kyle Kuennen, Evan Kuennen, Brent Kuennen and Eric Kuennen.

Burnham-Wood Funeral Home, West Union, handled the arrangements.

Luke's death occurred Friday, Feb. 12, 2010, at the New Hampton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in New Hampton.

Luke Theodore Kuennen, second-oldest son of Frank and Elizabeth (Meyer) Kuennen, was born April 2, 1931, on the Henry Kuennen family homestead in rural St. Lucas. He was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith by Monsignor Francis L. Schuh.

After graduating from the eighth grade at St. Luke's Parochial School in St. Lucas, Luke worked for area farmers.

On Nov. 5, 1953, he was united in marriage with Elaine Schmitt at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church at Ft. Atkinson. To this union five sons and three daughters were born.

The Kuennens farmed near Festina, where the family raised registered Holsteins.

Luke also worked for Baumler Brothers, constructing farm buildings; operated the Festina Feed mill for Behernds; and drove a gravel truck for Bruening Construction.

In the 1970s he divorced, left the area and moved to Georgia. While in the South, he remarried and later divorced.

Luke also worked various construction jobs. In the early 1980s, he returned to Iowa, working road construction until he retired from Cessford Construction of Cedar Rapids.

Luke lived for several years in the St. Lucas and Waucoma area. As his health steadily declined, he moved into the New Hampton Care Center in December 2003 and then relocated in January 2009 to the New Hampton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Luke was a 50-year member of the Catholic Order of Foresters and an honorary life member of the Knights of Columbus.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Kevin, in 1966; and two brothers, David in 1981 and Francis in 2005.

Survivors include three daughters, Sue Kuennen of New Hampton, Mary (Dean) Pawlicki of Doylestown, Ohio, and Karen (Dennis) Kleve of Calmar; four sons, Larry (Peggy) Kuennen, Tom (Cindy) Kuennen and Brian Kuennen, all of Cedar Rapids, and Pat (Rhonda) Kuennen of Mantorville, Minn.; 16 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Additional survivors include five brothers, Norbert (Delores) Kuennen of St. Lucas, Neil (Irma) Kuennen of Waucoma, Henry (Arlene) Kuennen of Cresco, Gregory (Rosemary) Kuennen of Waucoma and Martin (Carol) Kuennen of St. Lucas; five sisters, Mary (Jim) Kuhn of Lime Springs, Helen (Fred) Williams of Mabel, Minn., Margaret (Gerald) Kuennen of St. Lucas, Laura Lukes of Protivin and Kathleen (Dennis) Russler of Minneapolis, Minn.; and numerous other relatives.

Fayette County Union - 16 February 2010