Orren Jesse Lucht

Orren Jesse Lucht, born 2May1927 in Mora, MN, died 26Jan2025, and is proceeded in death by father Albert, mother Alice (Lindstrom), brother Donald, and granddaughter Rebecca.

Orren was educated in a one-room country schoolhouse until high school. Upon graduating a year early, he briefly continued to farm with his parents, but in October 1946, he took a break from farming by enlisting as a military policeman in Tokyo, Japan during the US occupation. There he honed his photography skills and learned how to process film and pictures from a fellow serviceman, adding to his burgeoning hobby interest. While in the service, he also developed a passion for riding motorcycles.

Upon honorable discharge, he returned to Mora and took-up farming on land he purchased from his parents, but that did not fulfill his creative passion as much as photography. His hobby grew into a business, Lucht Studio, taking high school portraits, accident and crime scene evidence photos, personal portraits, and weddings, which quickly branched into a photo film and picture processing business. Out of financial necessity, he designed and built his own photofinishing equipment.

By 1968 that business was sold, and the family moved from Mora to Bloomington. After two of years of working for a couple of different photofinishing equipment manufacturing companies in the Twin Cities, he quit his job, and using a $20,000 loan from his parents, singlehandedly began designing, building, and selling roll-paper easels and motorized paper cutter equipment in the family’s basement and single car garage. This new company became known globally as Lucht Engineering Incorporated, at one time employing more than 200 employees in Bloomington, MN.

Throughout his epic career, Orren exhibited a strong, creative passion for inventing and developing solutions to overcome complex mechanical problems, so much so that he was granted 12 US and international patents. Dad also enjoyed large family parties, polka music, cross-country adventures by motorcycle, and piloting his private plane. Dad also had a passion for giving back to his community; one example being the design, fabrication, and installation of a 15-foot tall, stainless steel cross that has remained prominently atop the steeple of the Farmington, MN Lutheran Church for more than 20-years.

He is survived by five children: Jean McKeague (Robert “Turk”), Jo Ann Nelson (Brian), Erich Lucht (Sarojini, deceased), Charles Lucht (Rosemary Liberto), and Alane Lucht (Kevin Friess). He is also survived by nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

A family service was held at his bedside, and interment will take place in a family plot, in his hometown of Mora. In lieu of gifts, the family requests you donate toward Alzheimer’s research and treatment or charity of your choice.

Cremation Services entrusted to O’Connell Funeral Homes

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2 Responses

  1. I worked at Lucht Engineering in Bloomington from 1987 to 1994. Orren had already retired by then, but he occasionally dropped in to greet longtime employees who remembered him fondly. He created a good company that fulfilled a real need for professional photographers for a couple of decades. I’m glad to learn he had a long retirement.

  2. Condolences to the Lucht family. I am very sorry for your loss. What an incredibly interesting life your dad led.

    I went to prom with Erich our junior year at Farmington High School. If I remember correctly, your family was new to Farmington that year. I hope you are doing well Erich. Deepest sympathies to you.

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