Dale H. Luthye

Dale H. Luthye 88, Topeka, passed away on August 23, 2011, at Midland Hospice House.

Dale was born in rural Topeka on January 14, 1923, to Walter and Nellie (Cochran) Luthye. His father died when he was four years old and his mother married Roy Bellman, who was a very loving and caring stepfather and raised him from the time he was seven years old.

He attended District 21 grade school at Kiro, Silver Lake High School, and graduated from Meriden High School in 1941. He worked at Boeing in Wichita, KS, until he joined the service in June 1942. He served with the 3rd Army, 4th Armored Division in Europe during WWII. Following his discharge, he attended the University of Kansas and graduated with an electrical engineering degree. In 1953 he became employed by Kansas Power and Light. After 35 years of dedicated service, Dale retired from KP&L in 1989.

In 1951 he married Elma Dryden Newell in Oskaloosa, KS, and they recently celebrated 60 years of marriage. They were the parents of four children, Vicki (Greg) Lee, Sandra (Steve) Summers of Topeka, Pamela (Victor) Rodriguez of Heber, Arizona, Stephen (Melinda) Luthye of Shawnee, Kansas. They have nine grandchildren, Todd (Erin) Shuford, Stephanie (Travis) Meyer, Amy (Jeff) Teply, Christopher (Alisa) Crawford, Brad, Courtney and Rebekah Luthye, four step grandchildren, MaryBeth Shoemaker, John (Kelli) Shoemaker, Michael (Shannon) Booth, and Jennifer Booth. Thirteen great-grandchildren, Emma, Ava, Lauren, Colton, Tyler, Harley, Emily, Kolton, Brylie, Grayson, Landon, Sophia, and Avery. He is also survived by his brother, Wilbur, and many nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

Dale was a member of Oakland Presbyterian Church, where he served as church treasurer for 35 years, sang in the choir, served as Clerk of the Session and taught a Sunday school class for many years. He was a 23 gallon blood donor, drove patients for many years on behalf of the Cancer Society, and volunteered at Doorstep.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his stepfather, daughter-in-law, Diane Luthye, and brother, Ron.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 27, 2011, at Penwell-Gabel Parker-Price Chapel, 245 NW Independence Ave., Topeka. Interment will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Topeka. Mr. Luthye will lie in state after 3:00 p.m. Friday, August 26th, at the funeral home, where the family will receive friends from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. The family requests memorial contributions in lieu of flowers to Oakland Presbyterian Church, 2810 Thomas, Topeka, Kansas 66616 or to Midland Hospice Care, 200 SW Frazier Circle, Topeka, Kansas 66606.