John M. Lueck

John Martin Lueck, age 90, of Ripon, WI, passed away peacefully on March 15, 2025, at Maplecrest Manor in Ripon, surrounded by his family and with his sons holding his hands.

John was born on June 30, 1934, in Watertown, WI, the only child of Martin and Alma (Krueger) Lueck, and grew up on the family farm near Lebanon, WI. He married Evelyn Berner on December 8, 1956, in Richwood, WI. Evelyn preceded him in death on February 18, 2016.

Shortly after their marriage, John joined the U.S. Army, actively serving for two years. He then enrolled at Milwaukee School of Engineering, from which he graduated as Valedictorian in 1962. He worked as a Mechanical Engineer for Perfex in Milwaukee, then moved to Green Lake in 1966, as he transferred to Berlin Chapman. In 1976, he joined Rolf Christiansen who had founded Hexeco, Inc. in Berlin, where John designed and built bearing oil coolers and served as Senior Vice President until his retirement. He and Evelyn also worked as caretakers at the Jones Cottage on Green Lake from 1980 until 2015.

Throughout his life, John took great pleasure in sports and being outdoors. He loved hunting, fishing, trapping, and camping and passed that love on to his sons and his grandchildren. He was an active member of Peace Lutheran Church in Green Lake, serving on the church council and the school building committee when the current school was built in 1972-73. He also enjoyed being part of the church choir. He always looked forward to spending time with his sons, their wives, his grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He especially loved the “babies,” who always brought a smile to his face, right up until the end. 

John is survived by his 2 sons, Dan (Shelley) Lueck of Ripon and Dave (Brooke) Lueck of Bangor; 6 grandchildren, Jessica Betow, Louisa (Jed) Else, Kaitlyn (Derek) Saxon, Jacob Lueck, Rian Lueck, and Laine Lueck; 10 great-grandchildren, Ella, Eli, Ezra, Eban, and Edwin Betow; Evelyn and Maximus Else; Charlotte, Emma, and Micaiah Saxon; 5 sisters-in-law, Marie (Mel) Mertz, Elaine (Jerry) Bauman, Peggy Keach, Darolyn Berner, Carol Berner; nieces, nephews, and their children; many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Martin and Alma Lueck; his wife, Evelyn; grandson-in-law, Kelly Betow; 2 great-grandchildren, Ellis Betow, Baby Saxon; 4 brothers-in-law, Bob Berner, Dick Berner, Jim Springer, Jim Keach; sister-in-law, Norma Berner; 2 nieces, Wendy Bockhorst, Julie Meyer.

John “Dad, Boppa, Great Boppa” was the rock of our family, always a calming influence no matter what went on around him. He was a source of inspiration and a model of faith and consistency for all of us. He will be greatly missed, but we know he has now joined Evelyn and other close family members in Heaven.

A funeral service will be held for John M. Lueck on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at 12:00 p.m., with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m., at Peace Lutheran Church, 440 Lake St., in Green Lake. Pastor Nick Haasch will officiate. Military honors will follow the service. Inurnment will take place at the Ashippun Cemetery in Dodge County at a later date. Please visit our website www.wachholzandsons.com to send a condolence or to share a memory of John with his family.

John’s family would like to thank the awesome staff at Maplecrest and Christian Servants Home Care for the wonderful care they gave him in the last year of his life here on earth.  

Wachholz and Sons Funeral Home

Sunset Cremation Center in Princeton

Serving the Family, 920-295-6631

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