Sue Luke passed away with her family at her side at Amery Regional Medical Center on Friday evening May 18, 2012. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. from the United Covenant Church in Clear Lake. There will be a visitation on Monday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home and also for the hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at the West Clayton Covenant Cemetery in rural Clayton.

Suzanne (Sue) Renee Luke was born in St. Paul, Minnesota to Alyce and Erland Hanna on July 29, 1937. The family - including her two younger brothers, Bill and Tom - lived in St. Paul and South St. Paul until 1953 when they moved to a farm in rural Clayton Township that Alyce's Swedish immigrant parents had homesteaded in the 1890's. Sue was starting her junior year in high school and while changing schools at that time of life can be a difficult transition, Sue quickly made life-long friends at Amery High. One of those new friends was a young man named Jay Luke, who would prove to be her greatest companion through life. After graduating in 1955, Sue spent a year at River Falls State University, and then moved back to St. Paul where she worked for Great Northern Insurance while awaiting the completion of Jay's service in the Navy. Sue and Jay were married in Amery on April 25, 1959, and moved to the St. Paul area to begin their life and family together. Their family soon grew to include four children - Daniel, David, Denise and Deborah - with Sue keeping busy with the joys and tasks of motherhood. Following a two-year transfer of Jay's work to Fort Dodge, Iowa, the young family decided to move back to the Amery area - where Sue and Jay have remained since 1967.

Jay soon was hired as a deputy sheriff for Polk County - the start of a long public service career that has included elective office for Sheriff, County Supervisor, and Town Board. Through all these offices, Sue served as a trusted advisor and supporter to her husband. While Sue was an active member of the county Democrat party, her interest was in the people, personalities and issues rather than the politics. She had a deep passion for justice and the common good, and could become frustrated with those who didn't care enough to understand or get involved. Her sense of humor was as infamous as her straight-forward communications. After the kids were grown, Sue discovered her own professional calling through 25+ years as the county director of services for adults with developmental disabilities, and as the supervisor of group homes for persons with disabilities. She both loved and excelled in this career, recognizing and respecting all people she encountered for their special qualities - for what they could do, and not for what they couldn't do. Her caregiving qualities were particularly evident in the care she provided to her father in the last years of his life, and to her 96-year old aunt, Helen Magnuson, who survives her as a resident of Willow Ridge Nursing Home in Amery.

Sue loved being a grandmother and great grandmother, and was proud of each member and achievement of her family. She was an avid booster of the Amery wrestling team, and traveled to sports or music events whenever and wherever her grandchildren were participating. Sue was a voracious reader, often checking out five or more books a week from the Amery library, and coming back the next week for five more. Sue loved the Minnesota Vikings, country music and dancing, and was especially proud of her picture with Willie Nelson. She and Jay enjoyed jumping in the car and taking in an antique auction, a trip to Branson, or the casinos in Colorado, Nevada or the Dakotas. She loved the crowd and excitement of thoroughbred horseracing, and invariably bet on the grey horse to win.

On the day of their 53rd anniversary - April 25th, 2012 - Sue was diagnosed with the cancer that took her life in three short weeks. She is survived by her husband, Jay, four children - Daniel Luke (Debbie), David Luke (Darla), Denise Kunkel (Gary), Deborah Knudtson - 13 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, and her brothers, Tom Hanna (Sandra) and Bill Hanna (Cindy). Her family and friends applaud her incredible life, and deeply grieve the loss caused by her death.