Lydia B. Luedtke Bruha, 97, of Arcadia passed away on Thursday, April 11, 2019, at the Valley View Senior Village in Ord.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, April 15, 2019, at the United Methodist Church in Arcadia with Dr. Rev. Jeff D. Hale officiating. Burial will be in the Arcadia Cemetery. Visitation will be on Sunday at the Church from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to the Arcadia Fire Department or the Arcadia United Methodist Church. Ord Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Lydia was born October 22, 1921, on a farm west of Ord, Nebraska to Vaclav and Barbora (Cadek) Lehecka. She received her education in several country schools and graduated from Ord High School in 1939.
Lydia was a nanny in Ord to Dr. and Mrs. Joe Kruml and their four children. She moved with the Kruml’s to Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, Missouri during WWII for a year and a half. Upon returning to her parent’s farm north of Arcadia she began working in the rationing office in Ord where she was promoted to Chief Clerk until 1945.
On November 8, 1944, Lydia was united in marriage to Keith H. Luedtke. To this union two sons were born, Keith R. and Richard E. The couple first lived south of Ord and in 1947, they moved into Arcadia. Mr. Luedtke passed away in February of 1972.
In March of 1976, Lydia married Henry Bruha and gained a larger family. Mr. Bruha passed away in June of 2003.
From 1956 until retirement in 1986, Lydia worked for the United States Postal Service. Following her retirement she did volunteer work at Arcadia Public School, Arcadia United Methodist Church, Arcadia Booster Club, Salvation Army, Valley County Museum and the Ord Senior Center. She was very active in the United Methodist Church and was the Sunday school Secretary and Treasurer and Treasurer for the Women’s Society. She belonged to the Rebekah Lodge and received the Decoration of Chivalry from the State Odd Fellow’s and Rebekah’s. Lydia was a proud blood donor, donating 32 pints of the blood to the American Red Cross.
Lydia was honored to be selected as Grand Marshall of the 2018 Fall Festival Parade and recognized as the oldest living citizen in Arcadia.
Lydia attended many of her family’s activities and hosted numerous family dinners. She enjoyed quilting, crafts, cooking, baking and crossword puzzles. She traveled to the Czech Republic, around the US and Bermuda.
Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Keith and Linda of Lincoln and Richard and Diane of Arcadia; six grandchildren, Jennifer and Tim Ripp, Melissa and Rob Scott, Ryan and Andrea Luedtke, Brandon and Lawnie Luedtke, Jeffrey Luedtke and Megan Luedtke and her fiancé Alex Dawe; seven great-grandchildren, Alec and Emily Ripp, Brook, Tyler and Collin Soderquist, Jenson and Beckham Luedtke, Carsen, and Lincoln Sue Luedtke; and three Bruha step-children, Laddie H. of Ord, Robert and Twila of Comstock and Helen and Jim Hulinsky of Burwell. Lydia’s family also includes a host of step-grandchildren; step-great-grandchildren; relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; both of her husbands; four sisters, Emma Zabloudil, Elizabeth “Bess” Wilson, Agnes Foth and Mildred Lehecka; and three brothers, George, Robert and Lloyd Lehecka.
