Richard W. Luchtenberg

Funeral arrangements for Dick Luchtenberg as follows:
Saturday, February 10th
Fairfield Christian Church, 1965 Columbus St., Lancaster 43130
Visitation: 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. in the sanctuary, followed by funeral at 11:30.
Luncheon provided at 1:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fairhope Pickering House Hospice in Lancaster or to Fairfield Christian Church.

Richard Wilson "Dick" Luchtenberg was born April 27, 1936 in Columbus, Ohio, the only child of Mary Jane (Wilson) and Russell Luchtenberg. The family moved to Bexley when Dick was small, and he attended the Bexley City Schools, class of 1954. He was a popular student and enjoyed playing on the high school's basketball team.

On a magical day in the summer of 1953, while out for a walk on the coast of Lake Erie, Dick met his future wife, Patty Cassidy. It was love at first sight for these two high school students, who were both from Bexley but met each other for the first time on a Lake Erie beach. A budding romance began between a Bexley High School boy and a St. Mary of the Springs School girl. Both of them were visiting Lake Erie with friends, but it was Dick who got special permission from Patty's parents to drive her home on Sunday in his snazzy little Nash convertible.

Back home, the path of love was not so easy for these two young lovebirds, as Dick's parents did not approve of the match. But Dick found a welcome surrogate family with Patty's parents and brothers, who supported the couple in their desire to marry.

After a year of college, the dewy-eyed young couple were married on December 28th, 1955. It was an intimate ceremony in the chapel of Christ the King Catholic Church, followed by a small but joyful reception at Patty's family home in south Bexley.

Dick and Patty started their marriage in a third-floor walk-up apartment, where they soon welcomed their daughter Mary, born the following October. A larger apartment followed and their son Steve came along just 11 months later. Soon they moved again to their first home in Whitehall, where Linda and Susan joined the family.

While Patty was busy raising their growing family, Dick was working, attending night school at Ohio State University, and on duty every other weekend with the Ohio National Guard. But juggling family, work and military service proved too much, and he left school just one quarter shy of graduating.

Even when money was tight and they were both stretched thin, Dick and Patty found ways to enjoy life and have fun. At first Dick participated in a bowling league and a men's bridge club, while Patty enjoyed being part of a ladies bridge club associated with their parish. But over time, they did seem to have the most fun in the couples bridge club they joined together. Besides monthly card nights rotating from one couple's home to the next, this group of life-long friends had some epic adventures together through the years. One time they dressed up as "the Oakland A's" for a costume party, with Dick dressed in drag as the "bat girl." Dick and Patty hosted another memorable event involving a "shotgun wedding" theme, a surprise 25th anniversary party for fellow bridge club friends - what a hoot. Needless to say, Dick and Patty's children were taking notes!

In the early years, Dick worked in his father's business. Then in 1965, he decided to try his hand as a home builder, first with a business partner - using the name L & M Builders – then under his own name as Luchtenberg Builders. The first home he built on his own in 1966 was their big new two-story in the Olde Orchard subdivision on Columbus' east side, where the family grew to include Nancy, Joe and Jim. For a number of years his business flourished as he developed a solid reputation for building high quality homes in Pickerington, Worthington, and all over the north and east side of town. Dick also became a local force in the Building Industry Association and co-chaired or chaired the annual Parade of Homes for several years. He was the first recipient of the annual BIA Builder of the Year Award and a delegate to the National Home Builders Association. In 1972, he built a dream house on 2.5 acres for Patty and the family. Life was good, but sometimes life throws you a curveball.

For Dick, life's curveball hit in 1973, when soaring double digit interest rates tanked the housing industry. His once prosperous business hung by a thread, nearly bankrupt. A lesser man might have been driven to drink, but Dick Luchtenberg was driven to his knees. He went to church daily and prayed. And prayed.

While business was very slow to improve, those many days and nights of prayer reaped deeper blessings. Dick and Patty found themselves drawn into the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, and at the age of 39, Dick had a born-again experience and baptism in the Holy Spirit that forever changed his life.

Meanwhile, in another of life's surprises, Dick and Patty found themselves expecting their eighth baby at the age of 40! David "the caboose" was born in August of 1976, destined to be adored and spoiled by the whole family.

Dick and Patty had a special gift for hospitality. They once took in a large Vietnamese refugee family for three months until they could be settled in their own home. Another time, they welcomed Dick's mother into their home to live for a few months after his father died. And their doors were always open to their children's friends dropping in at all hours.

With the sale of their lavish dream home in 1977, the couple moved their family to a nice old "fixer-upper" in Bexley, back to their childhood roots. They lived there for 20 years, as their children continued to leave the nest and start their own families. Many warm family memories were made in that home with kids and grandkids galore, from Christmas Eve gatherings to Fourth of July brunches to surprise birthday parties and surprise anniversary parties.

Dick started a new prayer group and led it for 10 years before he and Patty made the decision to join a nondenominational church. There he began to be involved in the deliverance ministry, through which he would pray over hundreds of people over the next several decades.

In 1997, Dick and Patty sold their Bexley home and moved to a ranch-style home in the nearby Eastmoor neighborhood, where they would celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in 2005. Dick continued to feel a tug to serve God in ministry, and together, Dick and Patty made mission trips to the Hopi Indian Reservation in Arizona in 2001 and to Ghana in 2003. Even as senior citizens, they felt that God was still using them!

Gradually, Dick and Patty slowed down as they aged. Patty's health declined first, and Dick devoted himself completely to her care and wellbeing as she weakened and became bedridden. His grown children gathered around to pitch in, but it was Dick who stayed by Patty's side day and night, even after she was moved to a nursing home. They had been married for nearly 62 years when the love of his life passed away in 2017, and their marriage remains a lasting testament for the whole family.

Dick decided to sell his home and downsize into a condo in 2018, a few months after Patty's death. He grieved quietly, becoming more reclusive without his wife by his side. The years passed slowly.

An ill-fated transition from bad teeth to dentures was the beginning of Dick's decline in health. He stopped eating and drinking properly and serious family intervention was needed. Into the breach came his son Steve and daughter-in-law Debbie, who took him in and nursed him back to health. Then his daughter Sue and son-in-law Jim cared for him in their home. But eventually, everyone knew it was time for their Dad to go into assisted living. In late December 2022, Dick was moved into a small private apartment at The Ridge, a beautiful facility in Lancaster just 5 minutes away from Steve and Debbie. He was content and well cared for there, showered with daily family visits especially from Steve and Debbie, who also took him to church with them on Sundays, much to his delight. Sadly, within a year, inactivity, poor circulation and infirmity took their toll. After a sudden downturn, Dick was placed in the Fairhope Pickering House Hospice, where he was beautifully cared for and peacefully passed into eternity on February 1st.

Dick was preceded in death by his wife Patty, parents Russell (Mary Jane) Luchtenberg, in-laws John (Frances) Cassidy, brother-in-law Dan (Carol) Cassidy, brother-in-law Mike Cassidy, son Jim, grandson Ben, and granddaughter Laura. Survived by sister-in-law Marilyn Cassidy, children: Mary (Jeff) Gardner, Steve (Debbie) Luchtenberg, Linda (Marvin) Pakizer, Sue (Jim) Testaguzza, Nancy (Bob) Stecklein, Joe (Kim) Luchtenberg, daughter-in-law Tracy Luchtenberg, and Dave (Leslie) Luchtenberg. Also survived by 19 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, two nieces, two nephews and many grand-nieces and grandnephews.

The Luchtenberg family wishes to extend special thanks to the wonderful staff at The Ridge Assisted Living Facility, and to Dr. Varney and his kind and caring staff at Fairhope Hospice for their tender and loving care of their dad.