Minnie Anette Luckow, age 93 of Hettinger, passed away on Sunday evening, October 3, 2010 at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger.

Service of Remembrance for Minnie will be Friday, October 8, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hettinger Lutheran Church. Rev. Kathleen Dettmann will officiate and burial will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery. Visitations will be from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday at the Centennial Chapel of Evanson Jensen Funeral Homes in Hettinger and one hour prior to the service at the Lutheran Church on Friday afternoon. A Family service will be at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday evening at the Centennial Chapel.

Minnie Anette Kvanvig was born on the family homestead in Duck Creek Township, Adams County, ten miles northeast of Hettinger, North Dakota on October 2, 1917, and moved with her family to Perkins County, South Dakota, in 1919.  She was the sixth of nine children born to Andrew and Helmine (Skogen) Kvanvig.


Minnie's early years were devoted to play, neighboring, church, sharing chores on the farm, and attending Grand View School through the 8th grade, where she was spelling bee champ and excelled in all subjects.   Music and family were at the center of life growing up in the 1920's and 1930's, as she and the Kvanvig clan learned early on to provide their own entertainment, and along with their neighbors, to take care of one another and be self-sustaining.

Experienced in taking responsibility for others, Minnie began providing housekeeping services in her late teens and worked for half a dozen area families cooking, cleaning, baking, and helping as needed.  In 1938, she took a job at the Hettinger Produce Company, and while picking turkey feathers, met and fell in love with a handsome German coworker August Wilhelm Luckow, known to his friends as "Bill."  Minnie and Bill were married on January 6, 1941, and began their own life and homemaking together in a two-room house on the Luckow farm.  After several crop failures, they moved to Hettinger in 1942, where they lived for all but two of their 67 years of marriage.  Larry, their first of three sons was born in 1942, Loren in 1946, and Lynn in 1949.


Her early talents in homemaking and love for others continued throughout her life, creating a warm and supportive home for Bill and the boys, cooking at the school and nursing home, and serving the public through various retail jobs.  She remained in her home cooking and baking and keeping a clean, welcoming house until the very end.  Her keen mind, sense of humor, and spelling expertise also continued, much to the chagrin of Bill and anyone else willing to play Scrabble with her.


In addition to her focus on homemaking and family care, at the core of Minnie's life over the years were her faith in God and an unwavering commitment to the power of prayer.  She believed that the Lord had a plan for everyone, and His hands would guide and protect her and her family.   It was clear that her faith held her in good stead to the very end, as she was granted her final wish – to pass quickly from this earth to the life hereafter when the Lord chose to take her.


In turning 93, Minnie lived longer than anyone in her immediate family, preceded in death by parents Andrew and Helmine, and siblings Gladys (Greij), Jenniva (Tangbakken), Melvin, Alma (Muller), Selmer, Alice (Tatro), Mathilde (Ehlers), and Arthur.  She is survived by her children Larry and Mary Ann Luckow, Cody, WY; Loren Luckow, Hettinger, ND; and Lynn Luckow, San Francisco, CA; grandchildren Lucinda Baker Luckow, Greenleaf, ID; Lance and Karla Luckow, Greenleaf, ID; Layne and Michele Luckow, Casper, WY; Trever Bergman, St. Paul, MN; and Joe and Jenny Bergman, Minneapolis, MN; eleven great grandchildren and four great, great grandchildren; sister-in-law Julie Kvanvig; and numerous nephews and nieces.

Memorials in Minnie's honor can be made to the West River Health Services Foundation or the Hettinger Lutheran Church Elevator Project.