Sylvester Joseph “Luke” Lunkenheimer, 83, of Odebolt, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, September 10, 2006 at the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake, Iowa.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 13th, at St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Odebolt with Father John McGuirk officiating. Burial will be at the Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll under the direction of the Farber & Otteman Funeral Home.

Visitation is from 5:00-8:00 p.m., with a vigil service at 6:30, Tuesday, September 12th, at the Farber & Otteman Funeral Home in Odebolt.

Luke was born on September 6, 1923, in Odebolt, the son of William and Mary S. (Thies) Lunkenheimer. He graduated from Odebolt High School in 1940. During his high school years, he was a star football player, known to many as “Stonewall Jackson”.

He was inducted into the U.S. Army on May 7, 1943, at Camp Dodge, Iowa, serving during WWII in the Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns, earning three Overseas Service Bars, European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with two Bronze Battle Stars, Good Conduct Medal, and WWII Victory Medal. He was honorably discharged on January 15, 1946 from Camp Grant, Illinois with the rank of TEC 5.

On September 30, 1950, Luke was united in marriage to Betty J. Pietig Reis in Carroll, Iowa. They made their home in Odebolt where Luke built his masonry business. Some of the buildings he worked on were the Odebolt Post Office, Telephone Office, Bowling Alley, Café, plus many other homes, etc. He worked as a mason for 42 years retiring in 1992.

He enjoyed spending time with his family, bowling, and driving around looking at homes. He was an active member of St. Martin’s Catholic Church and a member of the Odebolt American Legion.

Survivors include his wife Betty (they would have celebrated their 56th anniversary on Sept. 30th); daughters: Judie Reis of Papillion, Nebraska, LuAnn Knobbe of Omaha, Nebraska, and Kim Lockhart and her husband Mike of Bern, Kansas; seven grandchildren; a sister, Adeline Hott of Wall Lake, Iowa; extended family members; and many friends.

His parents, William and Mary Lunkenheimer, preceded Luke in death.