LuElla Kautz

LuElla Anita (Schock) Kautz, 79, Fairmont, MN and formerly of Truman, MN and Cavalier, ND, died suddenly as a result of a massive stroke on Friday, July 1, 2022 in Fairmont, MN. Funeral services will be held at 10 am, Thursday, July 7 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Truman. Visitation will be from 5-7 pm on Wednesday, July 6 at Zaharia Family Funeral Home, Truman and one hour before services at the church on Thursday. Burial will be at Ridgelawn Memorial Park cemetery, Truman, immediately following the service.

LuElla was born on August 27, 1942, in Elgin, ND, to Ruben and Delia (Sprecher) Schock, the eldest of 9 children. She was raised on a farm north of Elgin and attended country school followed by attending and graduating from Elgin High School in 1959, where she enjoyed playing the drums in band. She helped care for her eight younger siblings while growing up on the farm and she did books for her grandpa, Fred Schock, who was the Grant County Tax Assessor. She received a certificate from the secretarial program at Bismarck Junior College, Bismarck, ND.

Shy LuElla met an adventurous, handsome young man, Howard Christ Kautz, from the nearby community of New Leipzig, ND, while attending play day at Trinity Lutheran Church, near New Leipzig.  He kissed her and they were “married” that day. Later, she invited him to her senior prom and a lifelong love affair ensued. They were married on October 6, 1961 at Zion Lutheran Church, Elgin, ND.

They moved to Fort Riley, Kansas, when Howard was activated in the National Guard for the Berlin Crisis where their first son, Mike, was born in 1962. The couple made their home in New Leipzig and their children Belinda and Jonathan were born in nearby Elgin, ND. She did a lot of sewing for the community, including wedding dresses and she also worked at Davenport Manufacturing.

In 1970, they moved to Jamestown, ND, where Howard started working for MDU and their daughter Teresa was born. They moved to Cavalier, ND, in 1972. In 1976, she started working at the Farmer’s Home Administration Office (now known as Farm Service Agency), Cavalier where they raised their 4 children. Her life was dedicated and devoted to her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was a major supporter and fan of her family’s pursuits of numerous church, school, and community activities. 

In 2006, she and Howard moved to Truman, MN, to be closer to their daughter Teresa and her family where they lived until 2021, when they moved to Goldfinch Assisted Living in Fairmont, MN. During retirement, they traveled as much as possible including trips to Mexico, the Panama Canal, Europe, and more. LuElla especially loved visiting castles. They also traveled continually to visit their children and grandchildren in multiple states across the United States.

She is survived by her loving husband of 60 years, Howard; four children, Michael (Kim), Colorado Springs, CO, Belinda (Kevin) Schluchter, Indianapolis, IN, Jonathan (Connie), Flower Mound, TX and Teresa (Jeff Hall) Zaharia, Truman; 5 sisters, Betty Mallory, Jeanette Emineth, Karen (Dennis) Sabin, JoAnn (Kirby) Schatz, and Brenda (Perry) Laub; 2 brothers, Marvin (Dianne) and Gene (Cathie) Schock; 4 sisters-in law, Peggy Schock, Alvina Kautz, Florence (Delmar) Seidler, and Priscilla (Bob) Weiderhold; one brother-in-law, LeRoy (Dodie) Kautz; 16 grandchildren, Maggie and Alaina Kautz, Heather (Amber) and Mychael (Lauren) Checky, Bella (Kevin) Perez, Gracie Caruso, Cole (Abbey), Keaton (Ariana) and Kennedy (Hanna) Schluchter, Karlee (Cruz) Hale, Ashlee (Brett) Nicholson, Emily (Danny) Skoglund, Courtney, Johnnie and Gracie Zaharia, Makayla Hall; and 9 great grandchildren, Grayson, Aki, Jude, Addy, Mason, Sophia, Faye, Levi and Nash.   

She was preceded in death by her parents Ruben and Delia Schock; her parents-in-law, Christ and Elizabeth (Giese) Kautz and Sam and Erna (Hertz) Kautz; 2 sisters-in-law, Ethel and Carol Kautz; one brother, Leslie Schock; and 2 brothers-in-law, Clyde Mallory and Corwin Kautz.