Donald Robert Luebkeman's Obituary
Donald R. Luebkeman died peacefully on the morning of Saturday October 15, 2016. He was 91. A loving husband, father, grandfather, devoted Christian and genuinely nice guy, Don joins Beatrice, his wife of 64 years, in eternal rest. Don was born in the mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles on March 16, 1925. He was baptized at Trinity Lutheran in Los Angeles and confirmed at Bethany Lutheran in Hollywood on April 10, 1938. Don spent his early years in Los Angeles, later moving with his family to the nearby community of Alhambra, where he graduated from high school. Don initially enrolled at Willamette University in Salem Oregon, but upon is mother Hortense’s sudden death, returned home to be with his father Carl, enrolling at the University of Southern California. While at USC Don answered the call of duty, enlisting in the Army Air Corps in May of 1943. Initially a member of the U.S. Army Air Corps band in which he played the flute and piccolo. As the Pacific war effort expanded, the military bands were eliminated and Don was assigned to serve in the Army Air Corps Combat Engineers Battalion building airfields and roads throughout the Pacific Theater. Finally stationed in Okinawa as part of the massive build-up of men in preparation for a planned invasion of the main island of Japan. Don was awarded the Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, American Theater Service Medal, Victory Medal and Good Conduct Medal. At the conclusion of the war Don was discharged in March 1946 at Fort Lewis, Washington. Liking the Pacific Northwest, Don remained in the area enrolling in the Pharmacy program at Idaho State University in Pocatello.After graduation, Don returned to California, settling in Sacramento where he got his first job working as a pharmacist for Walgreens, the beginning of a 50+ year career. He would later move to the Bay Area, where he would meet his wife and spend the remainder of his life. While working as a salesman for the Park Davis drug company, he met Beatrice who was also a pharmacist working at the VA hospital in downtown Oakland. They were married on December 23, 1950, later purchasing their home in Castro Valley where they would live together for the next 62 years, raising their 5 children and creating many cherished memories. Although working for various pharmaceutical companies, Don stayed active working as a pharmacist in a part-time capacity. He would continue working as a licensed pharmacist well into his 80s.A life-long Lutheran, Don was proud of his role in the founding of St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Hayward where he remained an active member, attending Bible study until the last few weeks. Don particularly cherished the celebration of his service to the church hosted by the congregation in his honor this past July.Don was part of the dwindling group that made up America’s Greatest Generation. Someone who grew up during difficult times, helped win the country’s wars and quietly endured every hardship. Up until his last days, despite enduring tremendous pain, Don was interested in people, always curious about their life and background. He is survived by his 5 children: Theodore Luebkeman of Redding, Kurt Luebkeman of Vancouver, WA, Carla Mill of Castro Valley, Joel Luebkeman of San Francisco and Lynda Luebkeman of Castro Valley; as well as 6 grandchildren: Douglas, Olivia and Scott Mill, William Luebkeman and Isaiah and Victoria Luebkeman. In Lieu of flowers, please make donations to: Hospice of the East Bay, 3470 Buskirk Ave., Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 or your favorite charity.
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