Kathryn Luick

Kathryn C. Luick, 92, Fairmount, died Monday, May 30, 2016 at the family farm, rural Fairmount, ND. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 4, 2016 at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Fairmount, with the Rev. Scott Sautner as celebrant. Visitation will be held on Friday, June 3, 2016 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:00 and Rosary to follow, at the Willow Creek Chapel, Wahpeton, ND. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery, Fairmount. Pallbearers will be eight of the grandchildren, and honorary pallbearers are all of the other grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Kathryn and Gordon Luick. Arrangements are entrusted to Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton, ND.

Kathryn Cletus Kutzer was born on October 5, 1923 in St. Cloud, Minnesota to Clarence and Genevieve (Sauter) Kutzer. She had 7 brothers and sisters: Evelyn (Hunter) Giles, Winferd (Josephine) Kutzer, Angela (Robert) Golberg, Genevieve (Bert) Davis, Anna Marie (Wallace) McClesky, an infant baby brother (deceased at birth), and Clarence (Darlene) Kutzer. Kathryn graduated from Fairmount High School and in 1943 married Richard Peterson, also from Fairmount, who was in the U. S. Navy. He was killed in action when his ship was destroyed on December 3, 1944. Kathryn moved back to Fairmount and their son, Richard Milton Peterson was born on April 8, 1945. Kathryn married Gordon C. Luick of rural Fairmount on August 2, 1947. The family began farming at Great Bend, ND where they lived for 8 years before moving to LaMars Township in 1955. In addition to Richard "Dickie", they were blessed with ten more children.
Kathryn was an avid vegetable and flower gardener who had a "green thumb" to grow everything! Any foods not eaten daily were canned, frozen or given to neighbors or friends in the area. Kathryn cooked and baked for her large family, several hired hands and frequent drop-in visitors. She encouraged and assisted her family to participate in 4-H, community, and musical activities. She taught sewing, cooking, piano and singing by example and through arranging formal lessons whenever possible. Kathryn was a member of the Great Bend homemakers, American Legion Auxiliary, National Catholic Society of Foresters, St. Ann's Altar Society, and was a member of the St. Anthony choir as long as she was able, singing alto and harmony parts. Besides her full-time partnership with Gordon on the farm and tending to her family with the utmost patience, care and love, Kathryn also became the music/arrangement coordinator for the family band, the Luick Combo. In all of her "spare" time she managed to learn to paint florals, landscapes and barnscapes on canvas (in addition to the real barns and sheds she painted on the farm), winning North Dakota State Artistic recognition. Kathryn was a shining example of the virtues of integrity, generosity, kindness and good old-fashioned hard work. She loved our Lord Jesus, her family and her community, and she served all to the very best of her abilities. The Rosary was part of her daily life; we believe her deep faith and prayers (plus Guardian Angels working overtime!) kept the family safe and whole through all these years. We will miss her wonderful sense of humor and her warm welcome to everyone she met, not to mention the World's Best butterscotch bars and chocolate chip cookies! We thank God for lending us this beautiful, holy woman we called "Mother", "Grandma", and "Great-Grandma".
Kathryn is survived by her children: Claudia Luick, Fargo, ND; Kathryn (Paul) Mahler, Ellendale, ND; Gordie B. Luick, Fairmount, ND; Christine (Steve) Anderson, Arden Hills, MN; Karla (Myron) Aune, Mandan, ND; Carol Bontjes, Fargo, ND; Tony Luick, Fairmount, ND; Larry (Yolanda) Luick, Fairmount, ND; Ted Luick, Fairmount, ND; Lisa (Greg) Luick-Caceres, Sierra Vista, AZ, along with 35 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; one sister Anna Marie McClesky, Carlsbad, NM; a brother and sister-in-law Clarence "Sonnie" and Darlene Kutzer; sisters-in-law Marlene (Artie) Luick and Gloria (Vern) Luick, along with many nieces and nephews.
Kathryn was preceded in death by her husband, Gordon C. Luick (September 26, 2013); son Richard "Dickie" Peterson Luick (February 2, 1963); her parents, Clarence and Genevieve Kutzer; a brother, sisters and their spouses: Evelyn and Hunter Giles, Winferd and Josephine Kutzer, Angela and Robert Golberg; Genevieve and Bert Davis; and Wallace McClesky; one daughter-in-law Dawn (Ted) Luick; one granddaughter, Kyla (Mahler) Morehead and twin great-grandbabies; and nieces and nephews: Douglas McClesky, Karen (Kutzer) Stein, Sheila (Luick) Heger; and Gary Luick.