Obituaries & Guestbook

Luanne Harff-Burchinal, age 80, passed away due to complications of multiple sclerosis on June 17, 2019, surrounded by love at her home at Golden Harbor.

Luanne was born on January 6, 1939, to Benjamin and Helen Harff. She attended Jefferson School and graduated from Sheboygan Central High School in 1957. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa.

Following college, Luanne became the first female artist in the art department at Fort Howard Paper Company in Green Bay, Wisconsin. She later became an illustrator for a nationally and internationally best selling book published by McGraw-Hill. In 1967, she created and painted a series of murals recounting the historic Peshtigo Fire of October 8, 1871, that occurred the same night as the Great Chicago Fire. The murals remain a focus at the Peshtigo Fire Museum. Her murals were also displayed at the former Citizen’s Bank of Sheboygan and at Plymouth High School. She also worked as a color consultant for Stubenrauch Associates, Inc. She continued to do freelance painting, and created multiple “lifetime portraits”.

Luanne was also an active member of the community and was a Girl Scout troop leader, Art Aware volunteer in the schools, a member of AAUW, and an active church member at Zion Church and First Congregational U.C.C.

In addition to God, her family was always her priority and her center of attention. She was married to Dr. Richard Burchinal for over 20 years and was a devoted homemaker and mother to their children, Becky and Debbie. Luanne loved life, and proclaimed so on a daily basis. Always smiling, happy, and positive, she could be found basking in the sun at her home of 20 years, Golden Harbor.

Luanne will be dearly missed by her brother, James W. Harff, Washington D.C.; her two daughters, Rebecca (Tim) Thompson, Sheboygan, WI, and Deborah Pope (Chris Yankee), Boulder, Colorado; six grandchildren: Cora Luanne Thompson and Owen Thompson, Bella Luanne and Aiden Pope, and Ria and Ella Yankee; and many friends and caregivers at Golden Harbor.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 20, 2019 at First Congregational Church, 310 Bluff Ave., Sheboygan, from 2:00 p.m. until the time of service at 4:00 p.m. Burial will take place at Wildwood Cemetery.

The family would like to thank all of the supportive staff at Golden Harbor for the years of care and love you provided for Luanne. A special thank you to Mary and Sandra of Community Care, and also Compassus Hospice Care. Luanne’s life was enhanced by your love and support!

Online condolences may be expressed at www.reinboldfh.com