Dina L. Luthans

Dina Luthans, 46, of Kearney, left this world to be with the angels on June 26, 2015, after a courageous three year battle with pancreatic cancer. In her final hours, she was surrounded by the warm embrace of several friends and family members. Dina was truly an inspiration to those around her. A celebration of her Life will be Wednesday, July 1, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Kearney with Rev. Gary Main officiating. Burial will be at the Kearney Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday, June 30, 2015 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney, and one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday. Memorials are suggested to Kearney Tackles Cancer, Project Purple(running to beat pancreatic cancer) or Kearney Public Schools. Dina was born June 3, 1969, in Fairfield, Iowa, to Mary Ann and Ron Townsend. In 1987, Dina graduated from Lincoln East High School, where she was a member of the Apollonaires dance team and Singers and met her future husband and soul mate, Kyle. Dina received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln and was an elementary school teacher with Lincoln Public Schools, Bloomsburg, PA schools and Kearney Public Schools. She spent many hours substitute teaching and volunteering her time in her children’s classrooms in Kearney. On October 14, 1995, Dina married the love of her life, Kyle Luthans, and this union produced two children, Emma and Will. Dina was happiest when she was with family and she took great pride in watching Emma bloom into a talented and beautiful young woman and dancer, and loved cheering on Will during his many basketball and baseball games. Beyond the family she and Kyle created, Dina had lots of love to go around for both her original family and all of the add-ons. Dina and her sister, Julie, were best friends, but she was also close to her sisters-in-law and brothers-in law and Dina became the sister Angie never had. All of Dina’s nieces and nephews loved and respected her and they will miss her terribly. Everyone in the Luthans family welcomed Dina with open arms, Fred and Kay always thought of her as one of their own, and Mary Ann and Dina’s siblings were gracious enough to share her. In addition, Dina had numerous friends. Some of those friends remained from high school, and Dina’s family was fortunate to share a few days with them at one of her favorite places, Lake Okoboji, just a few days before her passing. In addition, Dina was blessed with a wonderful group of friends in Kearney. She is survived by Kyle, her husband of almost 20 years, Kearney; children, Emma and Will, Kearney; mother, Mary Ann Townsend, Lincoln; father, Ron Townsend (Lynn), Arlington, TX; sister, Julie (Bill) Thielen; brother, John (Katye) Townsend, Lincoln; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Fred and Kay Luthans, Lincoln; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Brett and Angie Luthans, St. Joseph, MO, Kristin and Todd Noble, Lincoln, Paige and Barry Sanford, Castle Pines, CO; grandmother Bettye Schock, Fairfield, IA; nieces and nephews: Jack, Nick, Jake, Kellen, Kourtney, Taylor, Ashley, Molly, Leyna and Tyler, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. PDF Printable Version

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Dina L. Luthans

June 26, 2015 - June 26, 2015