Debi Lutz

Debi Lutz (O'Keefe), 68, devoted wife of David Lutz, passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by family, on September 1, 2025.
Debi was born on October 24, 1956, in Stevens Point to D. Patrick O'Keefe and Patricia M. Kropidlowski. She graduated from Stevens Point Area Senior High School in 1975. A lifelong resident of the Stevens Point area, until they relocated to Fremont.
On May 14, 1977, Debi married the love of her life, David Lutz, at St. Bronislava Catholic Parish in Plover.
Her career included serving as Executive Secretary for the Wisconsin Lions from 1982 to 1993. In that role, she traveled extensively and helped organize international conventions in Hong Kong and Australia, as well as national conventions in New York, New Mexico, Nashville, Salt Lake City, Miami, and St. Louis. Debi was recognized with many prestigious honors, including the Birch-Sturm Fellowship and the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award.
From 1993 until her retirement in 2018, Debi served as Clerk-Treasurer for the Village of Whiting, becoming only the third person to hold the position since the Village's incorporation in 1947. She valued the dedicated colleagues she worked alongside for 25 years.
Debi had many passions that brought joy to her and those around her. She was a collector of aprons and hankies, a tradition she began as a child. A lifelong camper, she and David spent 27 years camping including primitive camping on the Turtle Flambeau Flowage before moving on to their beloved site on the Wolf River, where they enjoyed fishing, boating, and listening to the loons. Known as the "queen of deviled eggs" and a master list-maker, Debi enjoyed decorating for each and every holiday changing table clothes from her stacks of hundreds. She loved hosting holidays, especially Christmas Eve. She enjoyed canning, baking, and cooking-her lemon bars will be dearly missed.
In retirement, Debi delighted in collecting vintage red-handle kitchen utensils and white farmhouse red trimmed enamel cookware. She also enjoyed visiting farmers' markets, discovering Amish baked goods, and treasure-hunting for antiques.
Family was the heart of Debi's life. Her greatest joy came from her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She never missed a concert, recital, or game, and she showered her family with gifts, crafts, Busha Bags and love.
Over the past ten months, our family was blessed with extra time to make cherished memories with Debi. Together we enjoyed a trip to St. John USVI in January, countless family dinners, visits to children's museums, hotel waterparks, and a special week in Crivitz.
Debi is survived by her husband of 48 years, David; daughters Sarah (Alfredo) Torres of Fremont and Jennifer (Kyle) Sprague of Wauwatosa; grandchildren Nicholas, Jacob, and Olivia Torres, and Cora and June Sprague; and Debi was affectionately known as Busha to her great-grandsons Isaiah and Isaac. She is further survived by her siblings Dar (David) Kranig of Merrill, Dawn O'Keefe (Dan Thompson) of Stevens Point, and David O'Keefe of the Town of Stockton; goddaughter Jessica Cronce of Stevens Point; her sisters-in-law Georgia Lutz, Karen Lutz, Charlene Lutz, and Cindy Lutz; a brother-in-law, Gerry "Butch" Lutz; her beloved aunt, Sister Anita O'Keefe; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents; brothers-in-law Gary and Roger Lutz, Jerry Hammon; and sisters-in-law Lisa O'Keefe and Sondra Hammon.
A Celebration of Life Service for Debi will be held at 11 AM on Monday, September 15, 2025 at Shuda Plover Funeral Home - 2400 Plover Rd., Plover, WI. Friends and family are invited to share memories from 9:30 AM until the time of services on Monday at the funeral home.
Debi's love, warmth, and devotion to family will forever be cherished. Debi would like to be remembered with the quote "I'm only a memory away."
The family would like to thank her ThedaCare hospice team: Sarah RN, Nikki, and Heidi.