Former Green County District Attorney Gary Luhman died in his home on March 20, 2018, after a short battle with brain cancer. You might have known him as "The D.A." You might have known him from his time as a leader of the Republican Party of Green County, a member of Jordan Lutheran Church, a volunteer in Kiwanis or 4-H. You might have known him as a personal acquaintance, or even called him a friend.
But I just called him "Dad." My father, Gary Luhman, passed away tragically and suddenly from a brain tumor and a surgical infection he acquired at UW Hospital. He was diagnosed with a tumor on Dec. 20 and spent seven weeks in the ICU following the infection. The cancer grew back rapidly and took his life three months after it was discovered. It has rocked my family, as well as a whole community. My dad had the chance to get to know many people, and many got to know him as well. I have seen my father lead and be involved with so many diverse groups of people and carry himself with integrity the whole time.
I think of Micah 6:8 when I think of my dad, "What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." He loved justice, the pursuit of making things right, and he devoted his life to granting justice to those who need it most. He even pushed off retirement in order to help with cold case sexual assaults for the state of Wisconsin. In the pursuit of justice, however, he rarely missed opportunities to be gracious and merciful. He tried hard to give people second chances, to discern a heart that needed some mercy. Some cops thought he was too lenient. Some criminals thought he was too harsh. But my dad lived in the balance of justice and mercy, and that was because he walked humbly with Jesus.
My dad showed me what it meant to be a leader and to care for all people. He led our Sunday School classes when we were young and even helped out with Bible School in the summer, dressing up as Bible characters. As we outgrew Sunday School, he led an adult Bible Study, which almost half of the adults in our congregation attended (when you are talking about a church in the middle of cornfields and dairy farms, the number isn't as impressive as the ratio...). He was the backbone of our church, and he helped to make Jordan Lutheran Church a place where all feel welcome and love is given graciously.
My dad was a farmer at heart. His father sold their dairy cows to put my dad through college, and with that my dad decided to practice law over milking cows. But old dress shirts frequently got turned into barn shirts, as my dad led us to an appreciation of the outdoors. My dad made friends everywhere he went. Hundreds of people have taken the time to write, call or stop in on him throughout the last few months. What caught me off guard was when I heard multiple people telling my dad, "You were one of my best friends." He remained close with so many people, remembering every detail about their lives, overwhelming them with every detail of his (my dad was quite the storyteller!), and seeking to help out in any way he could.
My dad was a leader in this community, and a good one at that. But more than that, he was a friend. He cared about all people, and he cared about each person. The thing about living in an area like this is that there are no celebrities, only neighbors, and, as Jesus has commanded, he loved each of you as he loved himself. May we all remember the love my dad, Gary Luhman, had for this community and for each person in it.
- Rev. Ethan Luhman is the son of Gary Luhman and is currently a pastor in Saratoga Springs, New York.
But I just called him "Dad." My father, Gary Luhman, passed away tragically and suddenly from a brain tumor and a surgical infection he acquired at UW Hospital. He was diagnosed with a tumor on Dec. 20 and spent seven weeks in the ICU following the infection. The cancer grew back rapidly and took his life three months after it was discovered. It has rocked my family, as well as a whole community. My dad had the chance to get to know many people, and many got to know him as well. I have seen my father lead and be involved with so many diverse groups of people and carry himself with integrity the whole time.
I think of Micah 6:8 when I think of my dad, "What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." He loved justice, the pursuit of making things right, and he devoted his life to granting justice to those who need it most. He even pushed off retirement in order to help with cold case sexual assaults for the state of Wisconsin. In the pursuit of justice, however, he rarely missed opportunities to be gracious and merciful. He tried hard to give people second chances, to discern a heart that needed some mercy. Some cops thought he was too lenient. Some criminals thought he was too harsh. But my dad lived in the balance of justice and mercy, and that was because he walked humbly with Jesus.
My dad showed me what it meant to be a leader and to care for all people. He led our Sunday School classes when we were young and even helped out with Bible School in the summer, dressing up as Bible characters. As we outgrew Sunday School, he led an adult Bible Study, which almost half of the adults in our congregation attended (when you are talking about a church in the middle of cornfields and dairy farms, the number isn't as impressive as the ratio...). He was the backbone of our church, and he helped to make Jordan Lutheran Church a place where all feel welcome and love is given graciously.
My dad was a farmer at heart. His father sold their dairy cows to put my dad through college, and with that my dad decided to practice law over milking cows. But old dress shirts frequently got turned into barn shirts, as my dad led us to an appreciation of the outdoors. My dad made friends everywhere he went. Hundreds of people have taken the time to write, call or stop in on him throughout the last few months. What caught me off guard was when I heard multiple people telling my dad, "You were one of my best friends." He remained close with so many people, remembering every detail about their lives, overwhelming them with every detail of his (my dad was quite the storyteller!), and seeking to help out in any way he could.
My dad was a leader in this community, and a good one at that. But more than that, he was a friend. He cared about all people, and he cared about each person. The thing about living in an area like this is that there are no celebrities, only neighbors, and, as Jesus has commanded, he loved each of you as he loved himself. May we all remember the love my dad, Gary Luhman, had for this community and for each person in it.
- Rev. Ethan Luhman is the son of Gary Luhman and is currently a pastor in Saratoga Springs, New York.
