Robert Lutz

Robert Joseph Lutz

September 27, 1941 - March 10, 2025 Resident of Little Falls

Robert Joseph Lutz of Little Falls passed away Monday, March 10, 2025 after a courageous battle with multiple issues. Born on September 27, 1941 in Sauk Rapids, MN to Harold Alois Lutz and Mary Compton Lutz he was the first of seven children helping in Harold and Mary’s Little Falls dry-cleaning business Lik-Nu Cleaners. He attended St. John’s Prep School from 1955-1956, then transferred to and graduated from Little Falls High School in 1959 where he played Football and ran Track. He worked several jobs around town before and after graduation, including at NAPA Auto Parts, where he learned automotive engine machining. While working in town, he was also in the National Guard, where he worked as an engine mechanic in the motor pool.

After working at NAPA Auto Parts, Bob decided to leave Little Falls and work as a crankshaft grinding specialist at Big Tire and Marine in Mankato starting in 1964. He worked there for just over a year and then in 1965 moved to Minneapolis MN where he began working for Performance Engineering building racing engines for a variety of cars, boats, or anything else the customer wanted to make faster.

When he was not working, he began dating and later married Margaret Elsie (Johnson) Lutz on October 1, 1966, beginning a marriage that would last for 50 years, ending when Margaret passed on June 12, 2017. They went on many interesting adventures together, one of the first being their move into an apartment located over the shop at Performance Engineering.

In 1970, Bob left Performance Engineering to become certified as a Computer Technician. After finishing schooling, he acquired a position as a Computer Technician with Control Data Corporation and was transferred, along with Margaret, to Ft. Worth TX, Seymour CT, Buchanan MI and finally, in 1975, to Sunnyvale CA, working as a field repairman fixing various issues found by clients using Control Data’s equipment. He then went on to work for Zilog Corporation troubleshooting PC board installations and programming. Finally, he went to work for Iicon Inc until his retirement in 2011, where he installed and tested touchscreens that were overlaid onto CRT, and later, flat-panel monitors.

It wasn’t all work and no play. In 1981 Bob, Margaret, and her mother went to Sweden, the birthplace of Margaret’s father, for 2 ½ weeks to visit all her aunts, uncles and all but one cousin and were treated like royalty. They also went to then East and West Germany, Austria, Switzerland, part of France, Luxembourg, Belgium and Netherlands.

In 1977, Bob earned his Private Pilot Certificate flying out of Amelia Reid Aviation at Reid-Hillview airport, and in 1981 he earned his Instrument Pilot rating. After completing his training, in May 1982 he rented a Piper Archer and flew himself and Margaret from San Jose, CA to Little Falls, MN and then back to San Jose.

On August 9, 1983 their son Joseph was born, unquestionably the apple of his eye. Bob and Margaret’s lives became the usual whirlwind of activities, school, projects, and Scouts where Joe earned the rank of Eagle Scout with Gold Palm.

Bob’s later years brought several physical problems but didn’t dampen his enthusiasm for life or from being a great friend to everyone he met.

His parents, younger sisters Elizabeth Miller, Beatrice Brown, and younger brothers Harold, William, and John Paul predeceased Bob. Surviving is his son Joe in Little Falls, sister MaryAnn Ebanks in Champlin MN, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws.

Services will be held at a later date.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brenny Family Funeral Chapel, Randall.