Luetta Mae (Steele) Havlik

ELLSWORTH

  The heavens gained a bright shining star on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 when Luetta Mae Havlik passed away in Ellsworth, KS. Luetta “Lu” Havlik was born on May 21, 1930, on a farm near Yates Center, KS, to Clarence and Nina (Mulsow) Steele. She grew up attending rural Woodson County schools, graduated from Yates Center High School, and attended Kansas State Teacher’s College (KSTC) now known as Emporia State. After attending KSTC for one summer, Lu was able to teach in Woodson County rural schools due to the crucial teacher shortage following WWII. She taught at Askren School for two years, and Pleasant View for two years – both were one-room schoolhouses. Being a horse lover, Lu rode her horse to the schools where she taught.

  Following that, Lu moved to Wichita where she met and married Ladislav (Laddie) Havlik. The Havliks began their life together in Wichita, where they lived for 11 years and had four children, Jim, Carol, Anne, and Jane. They moved to Tampa, KS, where they owned and operated Tampa Lumber and Hardware, and Luetta was employed at Mid-America Nursing Center. They were fortunate to find a home outside of Tampa where, much to Laddie’s chagrin, Lu and the kids collected/rescued all sorts of animals including horses, pigs, chickens, ducks, guineas, cats, dogs, and a lamb – many of which required bottle-feeding.

  After selling their hardware store, Luetta, Laddie, and family moved to Kanopolis, KS in 1975. Lu became employed as a CNA at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home, a job she greatly enjoyed. She retired after 21 years. Following her retirement, Luetta went to work for J.H. Robbins Library in Ellsworth for nearly 13 years. She enjoyed working with the public and especially getting to know the kids in the community and seeing them enjoy books. Following her second retirement, she cared for her husband who was in ill health, worked in her garden and flower beds, and enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. After Laddie’s passing, Lu moved to an apartment on the Good Samaritan campus in Ellsworth.

  Both Laddie and Lu were avid gardeners. They always had a large garden filled with a variety of plants and flowers. Lu’s sense of adventure and wonder often led her to plant seeds of random things just to see what the plant was like. She always made sure there was a pot of flowers by the sign at their church and worked very hard to beautify the city park with a flower bed. She was honored to receive the Volunteer of the Year award at Kanopolis Fort Harker Days in 2000. Lu loved her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren with a passion and attended every school program, sporting event, play and music concert that she could. She loved traveling and the outdoors. Lu was always a teacher and nurturer at heart and shared her knowledge of plants and animals with her kids, grandkids and great grands. When her grandchildren were learning about the life cycle of a caterpillar, Lu provided black swallowtail caterpillars to their classrooms so the students could witness those changes themselves. Word spread and soon, ALL the classrooms had caterpillars. She became known as “the butterfly lady” at the elementary school. This story brought “fame and notoriety” as Lu and the grandkids were featured in an issue of Family Fun magazine that focused on grandparents being actively involved with their grandchildren. Being a former teacher, Lu always promoted and encouraged education and learning whether it be formally or informally. She stayed current and fought for causes by writing letters to her senators/congressmen when she saw something she felt needed to be changed. Lu was a compassionate person and always cheered for and supported the underdog and instilled that ideology in her family with the saying “There, but for the Grace of God, go I.” Lu secretly, and without fanfare or recognition, performed countless acts of kindness. If she saw a wrong that needed to be righted or someone in need and she could help – she did. Lu was always ready to go on an adventure, travel, participate in shenanigans and celebrate life. She was strong in her Catholic faith and shared it freely.

  Luetta leaves four children: James Havlik (Linda) of Dora, AL, Carol Havlik (Gary Boyd) of Washam, WY, and Anne Deming, and Jane Coyne (Dave) both of Ellsworth; seven grandchildren, Erica Farmer (Aaron), Plantersville, AL, C.J. Havlik (Violet), Douglasville, GA, Cassie Coffin (Cody), Owasso, OK, Randi Nienke (Eric), Salina, KS, Ross Deming (Stephanie), Kanopolis, Anthony Kepka, Lawrence, KS, and Lindsey Burgey (Zach), Buhler, KS. She also leaves a wonderful plethora of great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband Laddie Havlik; parents, Clarence and Nina Steele; brother Kenneth Steele; sisters, Leona Williams and Hazel Steele, and two sons-in-law, Marshall Ford and Verl Deming.

  Memorials may be given in her name to St. Ignatius of Loyola Church in Kanopolis, St. Bernard Church in Ellsworth, The Nature Conservancy, Gentiva Hospice, or share the joy of reading by donating a copy of your favorite book to a library.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Luetta Mae (Steele) Havlik, please visit our floral store.