Randall Edward Lutz

life story

A loving father and avid learner...

We love our father and will miss him dearly, but in his own words, 'It is what it is' and 'Life goes on!': Wise words of wisdom we’ll cherish knowing he's probably chuckling from above, encouraging us not to worry about the little things.

About Randy

Randall Edward Lutz

Randall (Randy) Edward Lutz, born in Milwaukee, WI, on October 10, 1950, died September 15, 2024 at J.A. Wedum Residential Hospice, Brooklyn Park, MN.

Randy was the third child born to Raymond and Emilie (Fairchild) Lutz. In his youth, Randy enjoyed biking to the quarry and playing baseball. He was raised in a happy family, full of laughter and love, and often spoke of having the best childhood. Randy shared a close bond with his two older sisters and their relationship remained strong throughout the years. He graduated from New Berlin High School in 1968 and went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 1972 earning a degree in Civil Engineering with a structural emphasis. During his time there, Randy participated in, and took on leadership roles, in several organizations including fraternities Phi Eta Sigma (honors), Chi Epsilon (civil engineering), and Sigma Tau Gamma (social).

Randy worked summers at A.O. Smith in Milwaukee as a Civil Engineer trainee in Structural Design. He worked on the design of production foundations and studies of existing plant structures and new machines. He moved to La Crosse, WI, and went on to work at Trane Company as a Construction Engineer, working on major construction projects around the country for their plants. Randy married and started a family in La Crescent, MN, where he was very active in the community and church. In 1993, he and his family moved to Northfield, MN, where he took a position with Carleton College as the Director of Engineering. From there, he moved on to be a Senior Project Manager at E&V Construction in Minneapolis, MN. In 2002, Randy realized his dream of co-owning his own company with Elizabeth Closner - Construction Consulting Partners, Inc. - where he consulted on many large construction projects around the state, most notably with various school districts and Minnesota colleges. He loved to work and loved his career. Randy officially retired in 2018 and moved to the Twin Cities metro area to be closer to his daughters and grandchildren.

Randy was an avid reader, loved to bike, walk, golf, and be on the water. He was very religious/spiritual and spent many years involved with church activities. He had a good sense of humor and loved spending time with family. His daughters and grandchildren were the lights of his life and were precious to him. Randy will leave a legacy of kindness, selflessness, and proper grammar (as his mother before him). We will miss his signature phrases, “It is what it is” and “Life goes on.” He left a profound impact on those around him and will be deeply missed by all those who love him.

Randy is survived by his former wife, Ardith (Oldenburg) Lutz, with whom he shared many years of marriage and raised their children: Kimberly Lutz Sweet, her husband Kyle Sweet, and their daughters, Kaelynn Lutz-Boeder, Avianna, and Elouise Sweet; and Shalynn Frank, her husband Adam Frank, and their children, Liliana and Zachary Frank. He is also survived by his sisters, Wendy Tolzmann and Melissa Freiberg, along with their families.

Preceding him in death were his father, Raymond; mother, Emilie; and brothers-in-law, Richard Tolzmann and Gregory Freiberg.

We wish to thank Randy’s care team at Allina WestHealth, Fresenius Kidney Care, and J.A. Wedum Hospice, for the excellent care they gave him. They treated him as if he was their own family.

A celebration of life for Randy will take place on Sunday afternoon, October 20th, in the Milwaukee area. Please reach out to a family member as more details are finalized. If you wish to send a memorial, Randy requested donations to the Children’s Home Society of Minnesota, through which both of his cherished daughters were adopted. He always joked that he never did save quite enough postage to send them back to Korea…

memorial service

Celebration of Life

October 20, 2024

New Berlin Community Center 14750 W Cleveland Ave, New Berlin, WI 53151, USA

Please connect with family for additional details as they are finalized. 612.875.1456

Will be held in the Trailside Room at the New Berlin Community Center

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Crescent Tide Cremation Services