Jerzy Lutkowski

IRONWOOD, Mich. - Jerzy Lutkowski, 76, passed away on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Westgate Nursing, Rehabilitaion and Assisted Living Community in Ironwood.

Jerzy was born Oct. 3, 1948, in Czestochowa, Poland, the youngest of three boys born to Maria (nee Fertner) and Stefan Lutkowski.

He was an intelligent, mischievous child, and fascinated by aviation from an early age. He built airplane models at the local Aeroclub and worked in Poland as a mechanical engineer, in a time when blueprints were drafted by hand. In 1972, after reading an article about hang gliding in Popular Mechanics, he built his very first hang glider - based only on the photos which accompanied the article. In 1973, he became the first person to successfully fly a hang glider in Poland. The 50th anniversary of his historic feat was recently commemorated by the Czestochowa Aeroklub in Poland, where he is still very much remembered and respected, and one of his preserved original gliders was displayed. He built a total of four different hang gliders, each better than the version which came before.

In 1975, he represented Poland in the first unofficial World Hang Gliding Championships in Kössen, Austria, placing 83rd out of 300 competitors on homemade equipment. He also participated in the first official Hang Gliding World Championships in 1976, also in Kössen.

In 1981, he immigrated to the United States with his family and eventually found a local hang gliding club, flying once more, now on a commercially produced hang glider. Flying was his passion. He loved catching thermals and flying long distances - sometimes staying up in the air for more than an hour. He flew with eagles on Chattanooga's Lookout Mountain. Rated as an expert pilot, he was also accomplished at doing acrobatics with his hang glider - which would ultimately prove disastrous.

In June of 1989, he had a terrible hang gliding accident while doing a series of consecutive loops with a broken wrist. The accident left him in a coma for weeks and with physical and traumatic brain injuries. Jerzy's love for hang gliding never wavered but his physical limitations prevented him from participating in his beloved sport. He spent the next several decades living a simple life fraught with health setbacks, but having an indomitable, enviable spirit and will to live. He survived Covid, being intubated in 2020 and numerous other health challenges. His gregarious and charismatic nature, good humor, and incredibly strong spirit inspired many people who came into contact with him, including in his later years, and he was well loved by the staff who cared for him.

Aside from flying, Jerzy loved music and movies and, before his accident, playing guitar. He was a loving father who raised his daughters to be independent and strong.

He is survived by his brothers, Karol (Jola) of Warsaw, Poland, and Wojtek of Des Plains, Illinois; his daughters, Inga of Tacoma, Washington, and Eva (David) of Ironwood; and grandson, Alex of Milwaukee.

His family is forever grateful to the caring staff at Westgate Nursing Home who treated Jerzy like family and made his last years meaningful.

Funeral services will be held at a later date, in Poland, with his family and the participation of the Czestochowa Aeroklub.

Jerald Rocco, owner and manager of Lakeside Memorial Chapel Inc., in Wakefield, is assisting the family with arrangements. To send online condolences or to share a memory, go to lakesidememorialchapel.com.