Victor L. Luzum

Monday, July 31, 2017 4:35 pm

Victor L. Luzum, 91, of Decorah, died Wednesday morning, July 26, 2017, at Wellington Place in Decorah, with his family by his side. Mass of Christian Burial was at 12:30 p.m., Monday, July 31, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Calmar, with Rev. Robert Gross officiating. Burial was Tuesday, Aug. 1, at 10 a.m. at Holy Family Cemetery in Davenport, with full military honors. Visitation was 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 30, at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah, with a rosary recited at 4 p.m. Sunday; and continued Monday, beginning at 11 a.m., at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah is serving the family. Online condolences may be made at fjelstul.com.

Victor Leonard Luzum was born at home on the family farm west of Calmar Nov. 5, 1925, to William and Leona (Schissel) Luzum. Victor’s Baptism, First Holy Communion And Confirmation took place at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Calmar. He attended St. Aloysius Elementary Catholic School and graduated from high school in Calmar. Victor enlisted in the U.S. Navy Oct. 28, 1944, and earned the rank of Yeoman Second Class. He was honorably discharged July 3, 1946, in Minneapolis, Minn.

Victor was united in marriage to Esther Schmitt, daughter of Anton and Josephine Schmitt of St. Lucas, Aug. 18, 1952. They were blessed with three sons: Karl, Mark and Greg.

Victor and Esther moved to Davenport to raise their family. Vic spent his working career as a mechanic in Davenport where, after his wife’s death, he continued to raise his teenage sons as a single parent. In his later years, he chose to move back to his home area of Northeast Iowa, settling in Decorah.

Victor is survived by two sons; six grandchildren and two great-granddaughters: son Karl Luzum (Jean Huisman) of Macatawa, Mich. and his children: Alexandra (Jon) Alkema and their daughter Hailey, Brittany (Michael) DeVries, and Chelsea Luzum, all of Grand Rapids, Mich.; and son Greg (Barb) Luzum of Charlotte, N.C. and their children Matt (Jasmine) Luzum and their daughter Zinnia of Ann Arbor, Mich.; David (Sarah Beth) Luzum of Atlanta, Ga. and Jen (Ryan) McConnell of Charleston, S.C.; five brothers and sisters: Florence Hackman of Cresco, Joan (George) McCusker of Overland Park, Kan., Monica (Tony) Steinlage of Decorah, William (Jan) Luzum of Benson, Minn., James (Arlene) Luzum of Rosemont, Minn.; and two sisters-in-law, JoAnn Luzum (wife of Paul) of Calmar and Irma Luzum (wife of Arnold) of St Lucas.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Esther, in 1971; his son, Mark, in infancy in 1957; brothers: Clarence, Paul, Arnold, Francis and Leo Luzum; two sisters, Loretta Collins and Rita Humpal; three sisters-in-law: Dorothy (wife of Clarence), Kara (wife of Francis) and Darlene (wife of Leo); and three brothers-in-law: Herman Steinlage (first husband of Monica), Rudy Humpal (husband of Rita) and Othmar Hackman (husband of Florence).

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 304 South Maryville Street, Calmar, IA 52132 or the National Kidney Foundation, Finance Department, 30 East 33rd Street, New York, NY 10016.