Dr. Judith K. Luebke

Dr. Judith K. Luebke, Professor Emeriti of Health Science at Minnesota State University, Mankato, died while tending her community garden plot on August 27, 2023. She was 69.

Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, September 7, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. at Northview-North Mankato Mortuary.  A reception and visitation time will be held following the service at Northview.  The service will be livestreamed at www.mankatomortuary.com.

Judith Luebke was born on September 24, 1953, in Carbondale, Illinois to Chester (Sport) and Gorga (Clutts) Greer. She attended Carbondale Community High School, and then enrolled at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (SIU-C), where she graduated with a dual major in Sociology and Psychology in 1974. That same year, she married Keith Luebke as he was completing a double major at SIU-C. She continued her studies and earned a master’s degree in Sociology in 1978. While working with nonprofit community-based health programs in Southern Illinois, she chose to continue her studies and earned a Ph.D. in Health Education in 1985. She started teaching at Minnesota State University, Mankato in the fall of 1985. She edited two professional publications, but especially enjoyed her time assisting graduate students with their thesis papers. Throughout her career she worked with and supported ESG, an honor society for health education students and professionals. She was also the faculty sponsor for MSU’s Amnesty International student group for nearly twenty years. Judith always volunteered her substantial writing and editing skills to dozens of funding proposals Keith developed for various nonprofit organizations in Illinois, Minnesota, and New Mexico.  She retired in 2017. Judith enjoyed reading, travel, gardening, quilting, and hikes with Keith and their two collies.

Judith is survived by her husband, Keith; sisters, Jacalyn (Don) Robinson (Colorado) and Benita Hooppaw (Minnesota); and her brother, Michael Greer (Illinois). She adored her nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents; infant brother, Timothy; brother-in-law, Paul Hooppaw; and niece, Jeannette "Jeanne" Robinson.

Donations in her memory can be made to Amnesty International or Minnesota Wisconsin Collie Rescue.