Luken, S. H. 1900-1977

LUKEN, SIMEON, PRUSS

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 2/2/2009 at 11:03:46

S. H. Luken, Longtime Furniture Store Owner, Funeral Director Dead

Sylvester H. Luken, 76, retired LeMars businessman, died unexpectedly at his home Sunday (May 29, 1977). He lived at 220 1st Ave. NW.

He had been a funeral director and furniture store operator for a half century in LeMars.

Mr. Luken was born July 22, 1900, in LeMars to August and Clara (Simeon) Luken. Mr. Luken had lived in South Dakota and Wynot, Neb., before moving back to LeMars in 1924.

Mr. Luken received a certificate from the Iowa department of health in 1975 for being licensed as a mortician for 50 years. He operated the Luken furniture store from 1924 to 1971 when he retired.

Mr. Luken and his father, August Luken bought the early day Grand Rapids furniture store and undertaking business of John S. Engelken in 1924.

Sylvester Luken had attended the Hohenschuh Carpenter school of embalming in Des Moines in 1920 and became a licensed mortician at that time.

Margaret Pruss and Mr. Luken were married Feb. 10, 1919, at Wynot, Neb.

He was a member of St. James Catholic church and LeMars Fraternal Order of Eagles.

Mr. Luken served many years as Plymouth County coroner until the Iowa legislature changed the law and required a physician be named and changed the title to medical examiner in the 1960s.

He also was active for a long period as a member and officer of LeMars Municipal Band.

Mr. Luken was custodian of a fund collected after World War II to build a band shell as a war memorial to veterans. That project was never realized and Mr. Luken turned the fund over to the Floyd Valley Hospital building fund.

In his later years, Mr. Luken became a KLEM radio personality with his Dad Luken’s Chatterbox program.

Mr. Luken sold the funeral home to his partner Gary Johnson May 1, 1967. He continued to operate the furniture store until his retirement.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. James church with Rev. George McFadden officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery under the direction of Luken-Johnson funeral home.

Parish rosary will be recited at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Survivors are his wife, Margaret of LeMars; a daughter, Mary Singer, LeMars; and a sister, Mrs. Jerry (Vera) Koerner, Caldwell, Idaho. Also nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.

~Source: The LeMars Sentinel, unknown date of publication

Plymouth Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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