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With love...
It’s difficult to write this thank you, because my heart aches for the loss of Curt on February 13, 2012.  ALS is a disease that needs a cure, and I can only hope that you continue to raise awareness.

When Curt was diagnosed in late December of 2009, the support we received was surreal, much as it is now, realizing that Curt is no longer here.  Throughout his fight, we had friends’ who stood by our side and were here weekly visiting him, and giving me a moment to run to the grocery store or do errands.  Without the love or Eric Signs and Cindy Nunn (The Dynamic Duo), that wouldn’t have been possible.  Soon, other’s visited on that same day and Curt was often surrounded by Tori Steingreaber, Ross Pope and Cheryl Maloney, too.  Love…and friendship.  Thank you to everyone who shared in our lives during Curt’s battle which he fought with such grace.  Thank you to those who sent emails, visited, sent cards, donations, helped around our home, with our children or ran errands.  I know many may think what you did was trivial, but to us, you helped us with things that we could no longer do.

Thank you to everyone for celebrating Curt’s life.  I hope I hugged you hard enough so that you knew how much we cared about you, caring for us.  We received so much kindness from those who helped getting photos ready, from Beth Herendeen from Twiggie’s for doing the arrangement Curt wanted that was over the top beautiful, to those who sent cards, gift cards, donations, gave a kind word, a hug, shared a memory, a laugh, a smile or brought supplies by.  An endearing thank you to Suzie Kramer, who used her artistic talent to create an urn that will forever be cherished.  Special thanks to Cindy Nunn, who if was not guiding me through the fog, I would have been lost, to Eric Signs for putting all the special memories and Curt’s words in place for visitation, to Tori Steingreaber and Ted Suidgeest for doing the readings, to Eric Signs and Rich Kirby for the eulogy that reflected Curt in every single word.  A celebratory thank you to the Children’s Choir from St. Joseph School – your voices were beautiful and reached Curt up in Heaven.  Thank you to Deacon Marv Robertson for presiding over the Memorial Service, to Dave Hudgens and the staff from Osgood Funeral Home for helping us make Curt’s visitation personal, to Mark Smith from Postal Connections for assisting with the printing, to the numerous families who made food for the dinner, to Cheryl Koenigsknect, Sue Detloff and women of the Knights of Columbus for organizing and supporting our family with the dinner in a way that touched our hearts, to Tera and Tom Wenzlick for helping with arrangements and food for the relief room, to Reverend Michael Dunkelberger for my personal sermon, to Shannon and Barry Kiel and family for the books, and to Erika and Ryan Karber and their children for being framily.  A special thank you to all of the children and teachers who showed us love and support and to Lee Greer, for arranging that a flag be flown in Washington, DC in Curt’s honor.  Kindness, love, support and sympathy at its finest.

We are blessed to be a part of such a caring group of people who carried us through this and sympathized with our loss.  Our gratitude for all that has been sent our way, honestly, can’t be put into words.  You were there for us in the beginning, and you were there for us throughout this, in ways that we learned about the true kindness of others.  With open arms, thank you.

With love…and we need a cure…Cure ALS,

Curtis Eugene Luttig died on February 13, 2012 after a fearless fight against ALS at the age of 43 while surrounded by his family and his very close friends.

Curt was born on May 25, 1968 in St. Johns, the son of Paul and Patricia Luttig. He married Leslie Petter on August 14, 1993 in Shingleton, Michigan. Together they have three beautiful, spunky, loving children, Quinn, Brantae and Sadye. If you see their children, you will see a wonderful resemblance of Curt in each of them. He will forever live on.

Curt attended St. Johns High School and took several classes at Michigan State University in Microbiology, before realizing that his love of work was remodeling. After building their own home, Curt started his own business, Luttig Custom Homes & Remodeling and had several faithful customers who became to be more than just customers; they became his friends.

Living and enjoying life each day, is what Curt took advantage of. He was passionate about his family and was the type of father that made us extremely proud, devoting every moment to them. He thoroughly enjoyed coaching his children in sports and also the children in the community. Curt made learning a sport enjoyable and made sure all participated. He even coached during the time when he could no longer talk, and continued to do so until he could no longer. Curt embraced the outdoors, loved spending weekends at the cottage with his family, a true MSU Spartan fan and was a remarkable athlete. In high school he played varsity basketball and tennis and he was an amazing golfer. Until ALS took his ability to be on the court, he actively played basketball with a great group of men who were fighting off middle age, known as the Dewitt Morning Hoopsters and the Sunday Group at St. Joe. He never missed an opportunity to stop at various Speedways for a 44 oz. of Mt. Dew and a candy bar, and enthusiastically ate chips and dip for breakfast. Curt was extremely sarcastic, humorous and amazing at everything he set his mind to. He was the most kind, caring and handsome man, with beautiful blue eyes, and the softest smile. Though ALS took all that was him on a physical level, mentally through his writings and updates on the Luttig Family website he was able to make people stop and enjoy all the little things before them... to embrace life. Curt maintained a positive outlook on life despite his illness, touched lives of people he never knew, fought harder than anyone we know. He was beyond courageous; he never gave up.

Curt will forever be loved, remembered and deeply missed by his wife, Leslie, son Quinn and daughters, Brantae and Sadye. Also surviving are his parents, Paul and Patricia Luttig, siblings, Ernie Luttig, Bill Luttig, Pam (Craig) Luttig-Stoltz and Linda (Dave) Lucas and several nieces and nephews.

“Life isn’t days and years. It’s what you do with time and with all the goodness and grace that’s inside you.”

In lieu of flowers and though they are beautiful, in Curt’s words, “Flowers creep me out at funerals” so he has requested that memorial contributions be made to the Luttig Family for their childrens’ college and for a beautiful tree to be planted in his memory for his children to watch over the years. It will be a place of comfort for them to be close to their dad and for him to be close to them... only a memory away. 

Memorial service will be 3 P.M. Friday, February 17, 2012 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in St. Johns. The family will receive friends 11 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. before the service at the Osgood Funeral Home in St. Johns.

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