Obituary of Milton Lutchansky
Milton Lutchansky 1932-2019
Milton Lutchansky died peacefully at home with his family on June 17, 2019. Raised in Detroit, Milt graduated from Cass Tech High School, where he met his wife, Sherry Lemmen, whom he married in 1952 and shared nearly 60 years until her passing in 2012. Milt worked five years as a sheet metal worker while serving in the US Naval Reserve as an Aviation Metalsmith from 1952 to 1954. In 1956, Milt enrolled in Michigan State University while working as an Architectural Draftsman for the Board of Water & Light. After graduating, Milt and Sherry moved to New Jersey for his job at Bell Laboratories. In 1962, he earned a master’s degree in Engineering Mechanics and then in 1973 he earned a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, both at NYU. He worked at Bell Labs until 1983, and then for Bellcore, and then Lucent.
Milt enjoyed life with Sherry. He had a terrific sense of humor and will be remembered for how he could make others—especially Sherry—laugh out loud. They valued friends and enjoyed hosting neighborhood parties. Sherry and Milt shared a joy of travel and time at their second home in Tolchester Beach on the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. Milt enjoyed boating, playing clarinet, and listening to jazz. He was a gifted artist. Over the last twenty years he took college classes in Philosophy, Literature, Chemistry, Sculpture, and learned the art of silver jewelry wax casting.
He was a devoted father to his children, Gary and Julie (Swenson). Milt cherished time in Florida with Gary and grandson Noah. He loved his time with Julie, her husband Brad, and grandsons Dan (fiancé Danielle Himsey) and Gil (fiancé Julia Roehrich). Milt considered Brad’s parents, Alice & Paul Swenson, their daughter Jessica (husband Jason Pagano) and her daughters Lillian and Natalie as family. Milt will be remembered by his sister Marion Dietch, many nieces and nephews, and many dear friends.
Milt was an inventor. He tinkered and fixed. He kept notes of ideas and improvements. He was awarded nine patents for his ideas, some work-related, others his own. He authored and co-authored many publications.
For two years Milt helped homeschool his grandsons Dan, Gil, and their buddy Jeff Zamor. Milt taught them math and science, joined rubber band wars at recess, and built a soap box derby car with Gil. With that car, Gil won the NJ state race, qualifying for the World Championships in Akron Ohio. Milt attended to watch Gil race there.
A huge baseball fan, Milt shared childhood stories about playing baseball in a sandy Detroit lot with a worn out baseball mitt. With a better mitt, he thought might have stopped a few more grounders! In honor of Milt and Sherry and aspiring youth baseball players, the family requests donations of youth baseball mitts brought to Milt’s service or donated locally. All collected mitts will be donated to PAL teams in Detroit.
The family will be running a “Wishes for Seniors” program this summer through Soulshine Farm LLC, his daughter’s camp, granting wishes to local seniors. Over the last several years, many of Milt’s wishes have been fulfilled. With the help of camp families, more local senior wishes will be fulfilled. Contributions to this program, can be sent to Soulshine Farm, 54 Park Ave., Randolph NJ, 07869.
A celebration of Milt’s life will be held at Horseshoe Lake Pavilion at 10 AM on Saturday June 29 (72 Eyland Ave. Succasunna, NJ). Dress casual and cheerful. Following the service, the family invites you to join them on a 2-mile hike at Wildcat Ridge Hawkwatch in Hibernia. Milt completed one of his senior wishes at Wildcat Ridge. An 11:30 AM bus to Hibernia from Succasunna will be provided, with return to Succasunna before 3 PM. If attending the hike, please email Julie at jswenson@soulshinefarm.com.
