Obituary: Helen Adeline Luedtke

May 18, 1922 ~ April 5, 2021

Helen Adeline Luedtke, 98, of Sister Bay, died Monday night, April 5, 2021 at Good Samaritan Society – Scandia Village.

She was born May 18, 1922 in Union Grove, the daughter of  Henry and Adeline (Pfeiffer) Kujellis. Helen attended Washington Park High School in Racine and graduated with the class of 1940, having been named to the National Honor Society. Through mutual friends, she met Warren Jerome Luedtke at a 4th of July celebration in Racine. They were united in marriage on April 24, 1943 in Rome, GA, where Warren was stationed with the United States Army Air Corps.

Helen cared for her family and home and shared nearly 78 years of devoted marriage with her beloved Warren.

Over the years, they vacationed together in Door County, and in 1967, they bought property in the Town of Gibraltar (Fish Creek). Ten years later, they built their home there and resided there until September of 2018 when they moved into the nursing home at Scandia Village in Sister Bay.

Helen was a former member of Grace Lutheran Chapel in Racine and then attended Bethany Lutheran Church in Ephraim (seasonally) after moving to Door County. She and Warren have remained longtime members of Christ Ev. Lutheran Church, just north of Baileys Harbor, in the Town of Liberty Grove. There, Helen was a member of the Ladies Aid. She enjoyed needlework, especially crocheting and embroidery, and sharing her creations with her loved ones.

Helen wanted to remind her family how much she loved them and acknowledged she and Warren were “truly blessed with a wonderful family.” Her hope was that their memories, like hers, “were of all the good times had we had together. May God continually guide and guard you, and eventually bring you all back to Him. God be with you all till we meet again.”

Helen’s love will live on in the hearts of her husband, Warren; five children, Jim (Sue) Luedtke of Racine, Gary (friend, Jackie Larson) Luedtke of Fish Creek, Tom Luedtke of Annandale, VA, Tam (Terry) Welch of Kapolei, HI, and Sally (Stephen) Baker of Los Angeles, CA; four grandchildren, Blake (Laura) Luedtke and Alyssa Luedtke, Kathryn (Ernie) Derby, and Natalie Welch; four great-grandchildren, Brock, Karsten, Sutton, and Evelee Luedtke; her much-loved brother, Robert Kujellis of San Diego, CA (and his children, Cathie (Cliff) Huckleberry and Chris Kujellis);  her niece, Marilee (Tom) Namowicz; her nephew Henry (Luci) Kujellis; other relatives; and friends from the community.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Henry W. (Rose) Kujellis; sister-in-law, Mary Kujellis; and other relatives.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at Christ Ev. Lutheran Church, 9986 State Highway 57, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 with Pastor Peter Lindemann officiating. Helen will be laid to rest in West Lawn Memorial Park in the Village of Mount Pleasant (Racine).

Visitation for family and friends will be held at the church on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, 10:00 a.m. until 10:50 a.m.

Those in attendance are to wear face masks and maintain social distancing.

Memorials may be given in Helen’s honor for the Christ Ev. Lutheran Church Ladies Aid, Door County Habitat for Humanity (or your local Habitat for Humanity), or Salvation Army “Bed & Bread”.

“Our family would like to extend a special thanks to Chaplain Joy Zakrzewski and the rest of the staff at Scandia Village for the kind and compassionate care given Helen over the past couple of years.”

Casperson Funeral Home in Sister Bay is assisting the Luedtke family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Helen may be shared with her family through her tribute page at www.caspersonfuneralhome.com.