Obituary: Luanne (Patrick) Rukamp

As received from the Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home:

Luanne (Patrick) Rukamp, 57, of DePere, Wisconsin formerly of Mohawk, passed away following a lengthy illness at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee with her family by her side on Saturday, July 31. 

Luanne was born on February 7, 1964, to Gerald (Bud) and Carol (Winquist) Patrick in Calumet, Michigan.  She attended the Calumet schools and graduated in 1982 from Calumet High School.  Luanne  worked at several jobs in the Copper Country before attending Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay and graduated with an architectural designer degree.  She worked for several architectural/engineering firms including CPR Associates, Raasch Associates, and UP Engineers & Architects.  In the following years, she also worked as a designer/inspector for the Villages of Ledgeview, WI and Allouez, WI, retiring in 2018.

Luanne met the love of her life, Rodney Rukamp, at the Hodag Country Music Festival in 1995.  They were married in Copper Harbor in 1996.  In 1998, they welcomed their son Janne into the world and he became the focus of her life.    

Janne participated in several sports, especially hockey and baseball.  Luanne and Rod coached several of his teams, and enjoyed the camaraderie of Janne’s teams and their families as they participated throughout the Midwest.  Besides her son’s teams, she was also a proud supporter of her nephew’s and niece’s hockey teams when they traveled to Wisconsin.

She was involved in building the family lake camp at Five Mile Point, MI and it became her special happy place, often spending enjoyable long weekends there with family and friends.

Luanne was preceded in death by her dear grandparents, Art and Alma (Tolonen) Winquist, and Nick and Vi (Haataja) Patrick.

She is survived by her son, Janne, and her husband, Rod, and his children Matt (Jordan) Rukamp and Katie (Colton) Volmer; her parents Bud and Carol Patrick; brothers Glenn (Chris) Patrick and Gregg (Cheryl) Patrick; and a very special cousin, “her little sister”, Julianne (Joel) Tuoriniemi.  She is also survived by many special aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

The Erickson-Crowley-Peterson Funeral Home is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.  Per Luanne’s request, cremation has taken place and a private memorial service will be held at a later date.  Online condolences may be left at ericksoncrowleypeterson.com.  In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Calumet Youth Hockey Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 385, Calumet, MI 49913; or Bethany Lutheran Church of Mohawk, P.O. Box 315, Mohawk, MI  49950.