By Ann Petersen, SBA Columnist | 02/12/26
(SBA) - Those of you who have lived in Sergeant Bluff for many years can remember the Lukken brothers, Billy and Tony, who lead intrepid lives as they both battled with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The boys grew up in town and graduated from Sergeant Bluff High School where they made many friends. As their conditions deepened, the boys spent many years in wheelchairs, but still maintained happy dispositions, enjoying time with family and friends and enjoying the challenges with computers that made their lives even more compelling. Several years ago, the Sergeant Bluff Community came together to make accommodations and additions to the Lukken home so that the boys could enjoy time on their porch and outdoors which opened more of the world to them.
At Tony’s visitation last Thursday, his mother Lori recalled meeting with Dale when the renovations were underway. Apparently, someone told Lori that something that would be beneficial to the boys couldn’t be done, to which Dale replied, “Of course it can be done! I’m the mayor and I’ll make sure it happens!” Mona Hurd told me that day that the boys told her granddaughter that they could never go to anyone else’s home and soon the neighborhood kids were using plywood for a make-shift ramp to enable the boys to get into Mona’s daughter’s home. Everyone who knew the Lukken family loved Billy and Tony and many did what they could to make the boys’ lives memorable. Tony was able to further his education beyond high school by taking numerous college online computer science classes.
Sadly, Billy passed away several years ago and now, too, Tony is gone. He died on Wednesday, January 31, 2026 at 43 years of age. Tony’s parents, Lori and Brad did everything that they could to give the boys a happy life. Their older sister, Emily Lukken, was a wonderful big sister to the boys. The number of attendees at last week’s visitation and funeral, including many of Tony’s classmates, showed how dearly loved this young man was and how much he will be missed. Photos in the church sanctuary and narthex reflected the typical expressions of a happy life—attending dances and the prom and just hanging out with his friends. There was even a photo of the matching prayer shawls that the boys were gifted from the Community United Methodist Church prayer shawl ministry. On the back of the brochure at Tony’s funeral was a poem that I think is a good reminder that Tony is on his last great adventure.
“New Wings”
Please try not to be sad for me.
Try to understand that God is taking care of me…
I’m in the shelter of his hands. Here there is no sadness,
no sorry, and no pain.
Here there is no crying and I’ll never hurt again.
Here it is so peaceful when all the angels sing.
I really have to go now…
I’ve just got to try my NEW WINGS!
The visitation and the funeral for Tony Lukken were so professionally done, but yet so personal. We need to be grateful that Waterbury Funeral Service is both our neighbor and a friend to all of us who have had need of their services. When Dale died, Roger Waterbury could not have been a better a resource or friend. He made all of the terrible decisions that had to be made as painless as possible. Waterbury is the only locally-owned funeral home in all of Siouxland and they have more reasonable rates than any of the corporate-owned funeral homes in our area, which permits people from all backgrounds to provide a dignified and caring funeral for their loved ones. The staff is knowledgeable, kind and caring and there are bilingual options for non-Native speakers.
At the first meeting with the bereaved, the family is given a complete list of prices for all funeral costs (the list can be viewed at www.waterburyfuneralserviceinc.com) and there are no “hidden extras.” Families are never pressured to purchase items that are beyond their budgets. If a family does not want a church service, the Sioux City location (4125 Orleans Ave.) has a large gathering space, as well as an area for a luncheon after the service. Families can choose who they wish to use to cater a meal and there is never any pressure to use one particular vendor.
All of us will be faced in the future with having to plan one or more funerals. I could recommend no place better than Waterbury Funeral Service. Dale and I decided long ago that we would be buried through Waterbury Funeral Service. Dale departed this life with dignity and love and I expect that I will do the same.
