Wilfred Gustav “Bill” Luebke, 94, of Hamilton, passed away at Memorial Hospital in Carthage at 2:07 PM Sunday afternoon, January 24, 2021.

 

Bill was born April 14, 1926, the son of Theodore and Martha (Haake) Luebke in Nashville, Illinois.  He graduated from Nashville High School and then went on to serve in the U.S. Army in the European Theatre during WWII from 1944 until his Honorable Discharge in 1946.  

 

On June 21, 1952, he was united in marriage to Harriet Carol Krown.  She survives.  Bill was a lineman for AT&T for ten years and then spent thirty years at Union Electric power plants.   He retired from Union Electric in 1988.  He was a member of First Lutheran Church in Keokuk and has always enjoyed being involved and serving at church functions.  Bill enjoyed traveling, attending auctions, raising ponies, farming, and restoring covered wagons.  He enjoyed pulling his wagons in parades or displaying them at community events.  He also loved cooking  ham and beans and pineapple upside-down cakes in a Dutch oven alongside his covered wagon.  He built 14 houses in his spare time (6 in Hamilton), including his own and his son’s, which was the first home on the South 13th Street cul-de-sac.  He was always willing to lend a helping hand, including helping with Hurricane Katrina relief, clean-up after the Joplin Tornado, and building homes on a reservation in North Dakota.  He was known for his amazing memory and generosity.  Of all things, his family was most important to him.  He and Carol were best friends and shared a true love through their 68 ½ years of marriage.  They cherished times together with their children and grandchildren.

 

Bill enjoyed sharing stories about his time in World War II.  Having spoken German as a child, Bill occasionally served as a translator for his platoon.  From his service, he earned a Combat Infantry Badge and a Bronze Star.  He was an active member of the Hamilton VFW, until its closing.

 

Bill is survived by his wife, Harriet Carol Luebke of Hamilton; children, Julia Comstock of  Menomonie, Wisconsin, Jesse (Annette) Luebke of Hamilton, Karen (Jess) Brooks of Denton, Texas, Cheryl (Dave Sr.) Jones, of Kimberling City, Missouri, and Lauren (Jason) Roth of Mount Pleasant, Iowa; grandchildren, Jill (Brent) Dobbins, Megan (Jared) Massey, Erin (Tyler) Brown, Britin (Chris) Strong, Shannon Brooks, Jenny (Marty) Matherly, David Jr. (Cathy) Jones, David Jr. (Amanda) Stice, Chad Roth, Brent (Chrystal) Roth, Elle (Justin) Brunet, Jamie (Stacy) Burr, Scott Burr, and Wendy Ziehme; twenty-five great-grandchildren; a brother, Wallace Luebke of Okawville, Illinois; and numerous nieces and nephews.

 

He was preceded in death by his parents; granddaughter, Alichia Luebke; grandson, Brian Stice; a sister, Caroline (Louis) Meier Jr.;  a brother, Harold (Grace) Luebke; and son-in-law, Jess Brooks.

 

Visitation will be held from 3:00 – 7:00 P.M. Monday evening, February 1, 2021 at Printy Funeral Home without the family present.  Private family services will be held at a later date with burial in the Keokuk National Cemetery.  Memorials may be directed to the Hancock County Honor Guard.  Printy Funeral Home of Hamilton is in charge of arrangements.