Valeria Luetmer

Valeria H. "Val" Luetmer, age 89 of Sauk Centre, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family Monday, November 20, 2017 at her home in Fairway Pines, Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, November 25, 2017 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Father Greg Paffel presiding. Interment will follow the Mass in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be held at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre on Saturday from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM.

Valeria Helen Braun was born July 30, 1928 near Elrosa, Minnesota to Edward and Katherine (Wengler) Braun. Val graduated from high school in 1946. She then worked as a teller at Merchants National Bank in Sauk Centre. Val married Henry Luetmer on November 9, 1948 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre.

Val was a devoted and loving wife to Henry with whom she shared 64 years. Together, they made the big white house on Main Street the happening place - their extended families knew the front door was always open. Often there would be a warm rhubarb pie just pulled out of the oven on a breezy summer day or homemade chocolate covered creams that could be served up at holiday time.

Val was an avid reader who loved to intellectually challenge herself and others. She played Scrabble, worked the crossword puzzle, and tested her vocabulary well into her '80's. She was an accounting, math, and finance whiz who never found a problem she couldn't solve. She did the household bookkeeping as well as bookkeeping and taxes for Henry's business as an independent contractor in the dairy industry.

Val played word games with her children when they were young and read books and poems to them, instilling in them a life-long love of reading. She was instrumental in creating with Henry many cherished family traditions - vacations at the lake, autumn picnics, camping, singing, storytelling and the elaborate cr&egraveche, 10-foot tree and pageant at Christmas time.

Val was actively involved with her grandchildren, telling stories as well as listening to their stories, reading aloud, and playing word games with them as she had done with her own children.

Valeria is survived by her children, Kathryn Luetmer of Long Beach, California, Kathleen (Donald Johnston) Luetmer of Medina, Teresa (James) Copley of Sauk Centre, Joseph (Sylvia) Luetmer of Alexandria, Mark (Elizabeth) Luetmer of Medina, Tom Luetmer of Shoreview, John (Debra) Luetmer of Morris, Paul (Carol) Luetmer of Wausau, Wisconsin, Patrick (Lisa) Luetmer of Rochester and Ron (Stacey) Luetmer of Glenwood; 27 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; sisters, Marie (Jerry) Mackedanz of Elk River, Joan (Bill) Moening of Blaine; and brothers, Ralph Braun of Sauk Centre, Richard (Marlene) Braun of Alexandria, Duane (Lois) Braun of Alexandria, Linus (Carol) Braun of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Ron Braun of New Hope.

Valeria was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Arnold Luetmer; sons, Michael and Richard Luetmer; grandson, Matthew Luetmer; parents, Edward and Katherine Braun; sisters, Evelyn Braun, Helen Niehoff and Reeta Anglim; and brother Virgil Braun.

Memorials will be contributed by the family to causes about which Val was passionate.