Obituary of Luther W. Pfluger

Luther W. Pfluger, 90, of Penfield, New York, died peacefully on May 17, 2018. Born on the family farm in Pflugerville, Texas, on September 28, 1927, Luther was the youngest child of Louis and Helene Pfluger. With the assistance of his brother and six sisters he compiled the family stories into The Farm: 1908-1967.

On June 14, 1958, he married his beloved Jane Lang in the Little Chapel in the Woods, in Denton, Texas. During their forty-nine years of marriage, they travelled to Canada, Mexico, most of the European countries, and all fifty states, including fourteen trips to Hawaii to visit their grandsons. Hospitality and humor, along with fresh produce and flowers from their gardens, greeted family and friends who visited the Pflugerhagen, their home in Mansfield, Pennsylvania.

Luther was stationed in Germany while serving  in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict . He attended Texas Lutheran University and the University of Texas in Austin, and earned his doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University. He began his teaching career at Mt. Auburn Elementary School in Dallas, Texas, and served as principal of the Calvin U. Smith and the Frank Pierce Elementary Schools in Corning, New York, and Nathaniel Hawthorne Elementary School in Oak Park, Illinois, before joining the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, serving as Director of the Campus Laboratory School. From 1969 to 1989 he was Chairman of the Department of Elementary Education at Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pennsylvania.

In retirement, Luther continued his active membership in the professional fraternity, Phi Delta Kappa, and served on the board of the Mansfield Free Public Library, co-authoring a booklet commemorating the library’s 100th anniversary. In Ann’s Legacy he collected and shared stories of his mother-in-law’s life.

He is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Karyn and Lance Robbins of Webster, New York, and Vicki and Michael Gorman, of Houston, Texas, grandsons Mitchell and Niell Gorman, granddaughter Anna Robbins, and many cherished nieces and nephews. His wife Jane predeceased him on May 5, 2008.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, May 22, at 11:00 a.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 1130 Webster Road, Webster, New York. His son-in-law, the Very Reverend Lance Robbins will officiate. The service music will be provided by his daughter, music director and organist Dr. Karyn Robbins. The interment will be at Immanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery in Pflugerville, Texas. Arrangements are provided by the Willard H. Scott Funeral Home.

Faith, family, and education were Luther’s priorities in life. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the organ fund at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 1130 Webster Road, Webster, NY 14580-9321 (goodshepherdepiscopal.org); the Louis and Helene Pfluger Endowment Fund at Texas Lutheran University, Development Office, 1000 W. Court Street, Seguin, Texas 78155 (tlu.edu); or the Mansfield Free Public Library, 71 N Main St, Mansfield, PA 16933 (mansfieldpubliclibrary.com).