Helen Lukes

Friday, September 4, 2015 12:42 pm

Helen Lukes, 97, of Protivin, died Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015, at the Evans Memorial Home in Cresco. A Mass of Christian Burial was at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Protivin with Rev. Nick Mark presiding. Interment was in Holy Trinity Cemetery, Protivin with Aaron Lukes, Kenny Lukes, Chad Heying, Gina Cook, Devyn Mathias and Theresa Lukes serving as pallbearers. Friends greeted the family from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church. Hugeback Johnson Funeral Home in Protivin handled the arrangements. Online condolences for Helen’s family may be left at hugebackfuneralhome.com.

Helen Marie Lukes was born Feb. 17, 1918, the daughter of Matthew and Frances (Benda) Bina. She attended country school near Spillville, where she completed through the eighth grade. Helen met the love of her life, Daniel Lukes and the couple was united in marriage Oct. 16, 1939, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Spillville. To this union four children were born. The couple moved to a farm north of Provitin, where they lived for five years. The family then moved to the Lukes Century Farm in 1947, where they spent the next 20 years of their lives raising their family. In 1967, the Lukes family moved to a different farm where they stayed until 2004. Helen hobbies included crocheting, playing cards, gardening and traveling. She was a member of the American Legion, and an active member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church and the Holy Trinity Rosary Society.

Helen is survived by two sons, Larry Lukes of Protivin and Victor Lukes of Protivin; two daughters, Linda (Rich) Heying of Ossian and Lana Lukes of Salt Lake City, Utah; 15 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and one great – great grandchild; two sisters-in-law, Ann Lukes of Protivin  and Nora Lukes of Cedar Falls.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Daniel, in 2004; two brothers, Ernie and Victor Bina; sister, Alice Maloney; two granddaughters, Elizabeth Lukes and one in infancy.