Bruce Charles Luecke died in the early morning of his 74th birthday, November 27, 2021, at Oakwood Village Prairie Ridge with his wife, Susan, at his side.

Bruce grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and attended Grinnell College as an undergraduate. He obtained his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Missouri. He held an advanced degree in pathology from the University of Illinois. Bruce worked for the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in the 1980s. He acted as a whistleblower, a challenging and defining experience.

Bruce was devoted to animals, wild and domestic. He shared his life with a series of very happy Shetland sheepdogs. Bruce was in his element when taking care of things, planning, and building. He transformed his Madison Eastside home detail by detail in keeping with the Arts and Crafts tradition. He was fascinated with trains, current and old, and even worked for a short time for the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad.

An introvert and very much his own person, Bruce connected with others best one-on-one. What a fun and kind companion he was to his wife and friend, Susan Freiss! And what adventures they had exploring wild places together in Wisconsin and beyond.

In Bruce’s later working years, he enjoyed supporting children with special needs and who had experienced trauma as a special education assistant with the Madison Metropolitan School District.

Bruce was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2017 and most recently lived in memory care at Prairie Ridge where he was so well loved and cared for. He is survived by his sister, Gail Lueke; his brother, Carl Luecke; and his wife, Susan.

A ceremony celebrating Bruce’s life will be held at a later time in just the right wild place. For now, if anyone wishes to honor Bruce, please give in his name to one of his six favorite organizations: American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Earthjustice, Defenders of Wildlife, Sierra Club, and Aldo Leopold Foundation.

Please note: The above picture was Bruce’s favorite picture of himself and was taken in Wales where he delighted in getting to know a young eagle owl.

 

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

3325 E Washington Ave

Madison, WI (608) 249-6666