Thomas Lutjen obituary

Thomas Eugene Lutjen of Lake City, Minnesota, passed away on Sept. 18, 2024, at the age of 79. He was born on June 25, 1945 in Lake City, Minnesota. He was a devoted husband to Mary Lutjen and loving father to Dagan Lutjen.
Dad was honest, hard-working and kind. He cherished his family immensely and always looked forward to gathering with friends to celebrate life ... or just have fun.
He grew up on the Lutjen family farm in Lake City, Minnesota, among a loving, supportive and widespread farming community filled with relatives and friends. He graduated in 1963 from Lincoln High School in Lake City. A long-term farming life was not his first choice in life. He moved to Red Wing and began working at Red Wing Shoe Company in 1964 in the warehouse, married Mary Hallquist (of Red Wing) in November 1965 and entered military service soon after. Dad was a proud military veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving during the Vietnam War and in the Pacific Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea on a destroyer (USS Stribling).
After leaving military service in 1969, he returned to Red Wing and working at Red Wing Shoe Company, where he stayed for his entire career, starting back in the warehouse and working his way up to Quality Control Director, retiring in 2006. He also served on the Board of Directors for Red Wing Credit Union for many years in the 1990s and 2000s.
Despite his many responsibilities, he always made time for his family, friends, and his passions. Over his lifetime, he loved many activities with his family and friends, including being an avid golfer, playing softball, power boating on the Mississippi River, motorcycles, snowmobiling, classic hot rods and sports cars. He started his love for hot rods in high school and soon after joined the Lakesters Car Club (in Lake City) and the Bearing Burners Car Club (in Red Wing). Later in his life, he and Mom moved to Lake City and he again became actively involved in the Lakesters Car Club. He absolutely loved re-establishing friendships dating back to his childhood, talking about old cars, and traveling to car shows ... or just cruising with friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Katherine Lutjen; brother, Perry Lutjen; sister, Connie. He is survived by his wife, Mary (Hallquist) Lutjen; son, Dagan (Ren) Lutjen; grandchildren, Aiden and Kat Lutjen; sister, Carmen (Scott) Hannon; brother, Mark Lutjen.
Immediate family will hold a Private Interment at Calvary Cemetery in Red Wing, Minnesota.
Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life on Thursday, October 10, 2024 at the VFW Post 8729, 115 N. Franklin St., Lake City, MN. Visitation with the family will be from 2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation (or volunteering) in his honor to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), your local VFW Post, or another veteran charity of your choosing.