Elsie Dolores Luettgen

Obituary ELSIE D. LUETTGEN - A Pilgrim's Progress Elsie D. Luettgen, beloved professor of languages and long-time local resident, died Monday, June 27 in Tacoma of complications following a surgery. Born Elsie Dolores Mosquera, Mrs. Luettgen was born and grew up in New York City after World War I. In 1952, she moved to Tacoma, and worked as a legal secretary while raising her family with her mother, Dolores N. Lopez, and her husband, Edward M. Luettgen, a career military officer. In 1964 she began her educational journey at The University of Puget Sound (BA '68) that continued with Middlebury College (MA '70) and culminated at the University of Madrid, Spain (PhD '84) after her successful defense of a dissertation that established the influence of Spanish mystics on John Bunyan in his master-work, "The Pilgrim's Progress". She taught Spanish and French in the Tacoma public school system, and was a language and literature professor to generations of students at The University of Puget Sound and various other area colleges and universities, including serving as Chairman of the Modern Languages Dept. at St. Martin's College, Olympia. Since retirement, she led an energetic and spiritual life, traveling (Europe) and residing overseas (Indonesia, Saudi Arabia), visiting with her loving family and friends, and giving talks at educational and religious forums locally. A widow since 1995, she is survived by her daughter Evelyn, sons Richard and Robert and their respective wives, Robin Sojcher and Julie Luettgen, eight grandchildren (Anna, David, Edward, Elizabeth, John, Kenneth, Michael, and Scott), seven great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren, numerous other family members and countless friends. She was a mother and instructor to many. A vigil is planned at 7 pm on Thursday, July 7, 2011 at Gaffney Funeral Home, 1002 S. Yakima in Tacoma; a funeral mass will be held at St. Charles Borromeo, 7112 South 12th Street in Tacoma, at 9:00 AM Friday, July 8, with a public reception to follow at the church. Inurnment will be at Calvary Cemetery, Tacoma. Donations are suggested in Elsie's name for purposes of scholarships to The University of Puget Sound Alumni Fund, 1500 North Warner Street, CMB 1063, Tacoma, Washington 98416. Please leave online condolences at www.GaffneyCares.com. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home, 253-572-6003.