Jim R. Luckritz, 68, of Dubuque died Friday, March 27, 2015 at home with his wife, Kathy, and dog, Sadie, by his side, after a brave battle with cancer. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 pm Monday at the Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 Kennedy Road, where there will be a parish wake service at 7 pm. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church with Military Rites accorded by the American Legion Dubuque Post #6 following.
Jim was born July 5, 1946 in Dubuque, son of Wilfred and Elva (Hopkins) Luckritz. He graduated from Dubuque Senior High School and attended University of Dubuque and Clarke College.
He served his country in Viet Nam, with the 82nd Airborne, serving in combat with the 173rd paratroopers. He also served with the Elite Army 5th Special Forces. Upon his discharge from active duty, he served in the reserves with the 389th engineering battalion.
He retired from John Deere Dubuque Tractor works where he worked in product support.
Jim married Kathy Weydert on May 8, 1982 at St. Paul Lutheran Church; they later had their marriage blessed at Sacred Heart Church on May 24, 1987.
In his early years, Jim was an active Boy Scout with Troop 48. He was later active in rugby and drag racing. He was a World Series Grand Racing Champion in the early 1970’s. He was also a member of many veterans organizations.
He is survived by his wife, Kathy Luckritz of Dubuque; his daughter, Jamie (Bill) Reis of Northbrook, Ill and their children, Luke, Isaac and William; his son, Maj. Jay (Corrine) Luckritz of Italy; cousins, Judy (Jerry) Putz, Joan Steffen, Betty (Tom) Walser, and Miriam DiMascio; In laws, Ronald (Terry) Weydert of Bullard, Texas, and Barbara (Dr. Richard) Lambert, Gerald (Mary Kay) Weydert, Roger (Mary) Weydert, and Margo Weydert, all of Dubuque; many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; Kathy’s parents, Marie and Harold Weydert; sisters in law, Carolyn Weydert, Ann Marie Weydert and a brother in law, Richard Weydert.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Jim Luckritz Memorial Fund.
The family would like to thank Fr. Gabriel Anderson, Msgr. Wayne Ressler, Msgr. Tom Zinkula, and Deacon Bill Biver; Drs. John Viner and his nurse, Ann, Mark Hermann, Tony Heiar ARNP, and staff, John Whalen and his nurse, Charlie, Keith Shaw, and Randy Lengeling; the entire staff at Dubuque Internal Medicine, including Jim’s lab technicians; Hospice Care Of Dubuque, with the special care from nurse Barb; Finley Home Healthcare, nurse Linda; friends Chris and Dan Brimeyer and family, Ruth and Steve Seipp, Cindy and Dan Kubitz, Susan Bruck-Powell, Tim and Nancy Butler, Paula Evers, Jayne and Bob Ervolino, Kim Sanford, and Jack Sawvel; his classmate, Rex Graham; neighbors Donny Riniker and Gary, Abhay, and Mandy; and family, Barb and Rich, who brought him the Eucharist, and Mary and Roger Weydert.