(Photo)

Shirley Jean (Phillips) Lucke, died Saturday, July 29, 2023 at the age of 94 with her family and loved ones by her side. She was born on a farm in Humboldt, Neb., to Jesse and Gladys Phillips on Jan. 3, 1929.

After graduating from Bratton Union, a country school near Humboldt, Neb. Shirley continued her education at Lincoln School of Commerce in Lincoln, Neb. She was employed by International Harvester where she met Lee Lucke, who was visiting as part of his part-time job while in college.

Shirley and Lee were married Aug. 7, 1949 and began their life together in Lincoln, Neb. In 1955 she was instrumental in starting their own pharmacy business in Blair, Neb., where she handled multiple departments in the store and Lee was the Pharmacist. They began raising a family in 1957 and the entire family helped in their own way in the store. Shirley and Lee were very involved in the Blair community and developed life-long friendships. Following the sale of the pharmacy in 1971, Shirley worked at Omaha Public Power District and then after relocating to Lincoln in 1983, she worked at Lincoln Electric Systems.

Shirley was active in and a volunteer at the United Methodist Church in Blair and at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Lincoln. Known for her exceptional singing voice, Shirley was an active member of the choir for decades. She was a very dedicated member and volunteer at St. Mark’s and assisted in many areas including the Finance Department and was active in Keenagers and made lifelong friendships She felt keeping active at the church helped keep her young and it definitely did. Some of her other many loves were family vacations, cooking for her family and friends, the Omaha Community Playhouse, painting, reading,and keeping up with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Shirley’s legacy is one of love, support and kindness. She will be remembered by her family and friends as a loving mother, grandmother and friend. She will be deeply missed, but her memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew her.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents Jesse and Gladys Phillips, her husband of 55 years Lee Lucke and her sister, Ina May Rouse. She is survived by her daughter Lori Johnson and her husband Dave Johnson of Blair, Neb., son Jeff Lucke and his wife Becky of Wichita, Kansas and daughter Connie Loerch of Papillion, Nebraska. Twelve grandchildren including Sandra and Josh Kelly, Mike and Tim Johnson, Emily McCutchen, Sam and Rachel Loerch, and Luke, Jacob, Brian, Michael and Sarah Records. Shirley has 15 great-grandchildren with two more on the way.

Services: 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 8550 Pioneers Blvd. Lincoln, Nebraska.

Visitation: 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday Aug. 2, with family greeting friends and relatives from 5 to 7 p.m. at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home, 6800 S, 14th St; one hour prior to services, church. Memorials in lieu of flowers to the family for future designation.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #257246268