A lifelong battle with a genetic kidney disease finally took the life of Reverend Peter Luttmer who died July 1.He was on medical leave from the Regina Archdiocese since 1997.
Luttmer was raised on a farm near Zehner, Saskatchewan and received his early education in a one-room school house, attended Miller High School in Regina and received a B.A. from the University of Regina, entered St. Joseph Seminary, Edmonton and was ordained priest in 1979 by Archbishop Charles Halpin. He served parishes in Weyburn, Claybank, Canora, Moose-Jaw and St. Cecelia Parish in Regina before taking medical leave.
Luttmer’s sister-in-law, Kay Luttmer, described him as a courageous and kind man. He travelled behind the Iron Curtain before the Berlin Wall came down to track down some relatives and convinced a cousin, Thomas Kmet, born in Czechoslovakia, to come to Canada. Kmet was the Eulogist at Luttmer’s funeral and his wife Miriam was soloist. “He was also an avid cook and gardener,” said his sister-in-law.
Luttmer had his life prolonged thanks to a kidney donation from his identical twin brother Paul. “It lasted much longer than expected,” said Kay Luttmer. Reverend Louis Abello who presided at Luttmer’s funeral in Sedley, Saskatchewan jokedduring his homily that the twins looked so much alike that you sometimes wondered whether you had gone to Paul for confession or Peter for a bank loan. Paul was a banker. Kay said the brothers celebrated their birthday on the feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul, in June but their actual birthday was in January.
Peter had four brothers and one sister. He is survived by his twin Paul and older brother Gerald. Funeral services were held at Our Lady of Grace Parish, Sedley, and he was buried in the church cemetery.
