Norma J. (Luetke) Roubik

Norma J. Panning Luetke Roubik, 78, of La Crosse, WI joined her Savior in heaven when she passed away at Brookdale Memory Care Facility on October 30, 2022.  Her daughters shared the final hours with Norma singing hymns to her. Norma was a member at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Bangor, WI at the time of her death. Faith and family were very important to Norma throughout her lifetime.

Norma was born November 16,1943 to William and Frieda (Bode) Panning of Gibbon, MN.  She was the youngest of five children and enjoyed close relationships with her siblings growing up together on their family farm. She was blessed with a Christian upbringing, baptized into faith on December 5, 1943, and confirmed in that faith on April 14,1957 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church of Moltke Township. Norma’s parents highly valued a Christian education and as a result, Norma attended St. Peter’s Lutheran Grade School, Dr. Martin Luther Academy High School, and Dr. Martin Luther College (DMLC). She graduated from DMLC in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. After college Norma taught for a year and then on August 13, 1967, married David G. Luetke. David preceded Norma in death on June 26, 1995. David and Norma were happily married and raised four children together in Onalaska, WI. After being a stay-at-home wife and mother when her children were small, Norma returned to teaching and taught until her retirement from St. Paul’s Lutheran School in Onalaska in 2004 having served in the teaching ministry for over 25 years. Norma had a tremendous heart for teaching and loved her students.

In retirement, Norma was blessed with a second marriage to William “Bill” J. Roubik on July 21, 2006, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bangor, WI. They met while volunteering at the Good Steward Resale Shop and had a number of years to enjoy traveling and taking care of their home and yard on the La Crosse river in West Salem, WI. Bill loved and cared for Norma until the summer of 2016 when her needs were too much to meet at home. Bill passed away August 19, 2019.

Norma is survived by her four children, Julie (Jeffrey) Lillo, Lisa (Mark) Loersch, Carrie (Andy) Wehausen, and Paul (Sarah) Luetke ; ten grandchildren, Allison, David and Claire Lillo, Ella (Wesley) Aguilar, Bennett and  Isaiah Loersch, Luke and Aaron Wehausen, and Titus and Solomon Luetke; siblings, Clarice Fastenau and Frederick “Fritz” Panning; siblings-in-law, Dorothy Panning, Harold and Lois Kluender, Priscilla Luetke, Joel and Julie Luetke, Dave and Grace Stoering, Paul and Kim Luetke, Stan and Ruth Aufderheide, and Mike and Rachel Spaude. She was blessed with 38 nieces and nephews. Additionally, Norma is survived by special friends and neighbors, Walt and Karen Meyer, who were dear friends while the two couples raised their Oak Park Rascals together on Charles Avenue in Onalaska. Walt and Karen were also a great support to Norma after David passed away suddenly in 1995.

In addition to her husbands, Norma was proceeded in death by her parents, William and Frieda Panning; parents-in-law, Nathaniel and Olga Luetke; siblings, Roland “Buddy” Panning and Armin Panning; and siblings-in-law, Doris Panning, Don Fastenau, Virginia Panning, and Daniel Luetke.

Norma will be remembered as a gifted teacher, a loving mother, a faithful spouse, and a reliable friend.  She enjoyed books, gardens, hymns, Christian fellowship, and purring cats. Her long battle with Alzhiemer’s gave her ample opportunity to share her faith in Jesus with family, friends, and caregivers. Nearly 20 years after her diagnosis, she still seemed to respond the most to hearing God’s Word and the melodies of favorite hymns. Her family is very grateful for the staff that cared for her over the last six years at the Brookdale Memory Care Facility in La Crosse.

There will be a funeral service held for Norma at 11:00am, Saturday, November 12 ^th , at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1201 Main St, in Onalaska. Pastor Brock Groth will conduct the service. Visitation will precede the service from 9:00 am until the time of the service. A committal service will follow at the Onalaska cemetery at 1200 Main St. immediately following the funeral. A lunch will be served in the church fellowship hall following the committal service. In light of Norma’s love for Christian education, the family requests that memorials be given to the St. Paul’s Onalaska Lutheran Church and School Grateful and Growing building project, St. Paul’s Bangor Lutheran School or a charity of your choice. Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services is assisting the family.