Ann M. Luckert

Ann Luckert, age 79, of Woodruff, Wisconsin, died peacefully in her sleep on Friday, October 30, 2020 at Friendly Village Nursing and Rehabilitation in Rhinelander. Ann was born on May 22, 1941 to Hortense (Gibbs) and Virgil Andrews and raised in Gridley, Illinois. Ann received her training as a dental hygienist at Northwestern University and worked at various dental practices as long as she was able. She married her brother’s best friend, Theodore Luckert in 1962, on the condition that he would take her to Chicago every Thursday to listen to jazz. Their love of the outdoors led them to a vacation cabin in the Northwoods and eventually a permanent home in St. Germain in 1976. They purposely chose a town far enough north where there would be plenty of snow for snowmobiling and skiing. Together, with their daughters and dogs, they spent their time on the water and enjoying the Northwoods. Ted died in 1993 and Ann continued to have a fulfilling life enjoying the things she loved with her friends. She loved to cross country ski and could be found on the local ski trails with her two good friends Holly Nash and Helen Robinson. She was the queen of the cut out cookie and spent every Thanksgiving weekend rolling out thousands of cookies for the Annual Cookie Walk at the United Methodist Church of the Pines, of which she was an active member. Throughout her life Ann was dedicated to helping others and preserving nature. She was one of the first people to “adopt a highway” before it was a real thing. She taught Sunday school, helped build houses for Habitat for Humanity, rang the bell for the Salvation Army, staffed the phone for the Lac Du Flambeau Domestic Abuse Program Crisis Hotline and helped distribute food at the Lakeland Food Pantry. This represents only a handful of the organizations of which she volunteered. In her efforts to preserve the environment she gathered recyclables at church to take to the recycling center and came home after every walk with a bag of trash she collected along the way. She always had time to help people who were in need. Ann was the first to notice that she was losing her memory in her early 60s. She accepted her diagnosis with grace and humor and continued to have a positive and pragmatic outlook on life. She was able to live independently until the age of 75 before she moved into Milestone Senior Living for the remainder of her life. She is survived by her daughters Kimberly (Robert) Campbell of Lake Mills, Wisconsin and her favorite daughter, Catherine (Jerry) Wicklund of Oak Park, Illinois. A celebration of life will be at 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 23, 2021 at United Methodist Church of the Pines in Minocqua, with visitation one hour prior to the service. At family’s request, memorials to Lakeland Food Pantry, Lac Du Flambeau Domestic Abuse Program or The Salvation Army.

Ann M. Luckert

May 22, 1941 - October 30, 2020