Through the Bends in the Road: A Legacy of Love and Care

When Dick Lutey and his wife, Nancy, came to Trillium House, they had already traveled a long road together.

For more than 50 years, they had built a life centered around family, friends and a home in the heart of Marquette that was designed to welcome them all. With a blended family of eight children, Dick and Nancy made sure every child had a room of their own. Over the years, that home also welcomed 16 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and numerous Northern Michigan University students who became part of their extended circle and stayed in touch long after leaving Marquette.

As Dick puts it simply, “It was a wonderful life.”

When Nancy began having difficulty navigating the stairs, the family adapted. They moved her bed upstairs and found ways for Dick and the children to provide the support she needed. Together, Dick and Nancy handled the bends and dips in the road as they had so many others.

Eventually, however, caring for Nancy at home became more than the family could manage.

Dick and his children—some seasoned health care providers themselves—began looking for the right place. Some options could not provide the level of around-the-clock care Nancy needed. Others had limited capacity. Many were good, but were not the right fit.

Then their road led to Trillium House.

Finding the Right Place

Dick has spent a lifetime around cars. The founder of Heritage Motors in Marquette along with his sons Phil and Russ in Marquette (now operated by Phil following Russ’s passing), he knows something about looking carefully, asking questions and recognizing quality when he sees it.

At Trillium House, the family found what they had been searching for: a place where Nancy could receive compassionate, around-the-clock care while Dick and the rest of the family could focus on something much more important—being with her.

For the next four months, as Nancy’s needs changed along her hospice journey, Dick was at her side nearly every day. Her family surrounded her with love, while Trillium House staff and her selected hospice agency helped provide the care and support she needed. 

Nancy passed away in February of 2025, following treasured time together.

As time went on, Dick’s relationship with Trillium House didn’t end.

In the days and months that followed, Mondays often brought him back for breakfast. He joined his friends Roger and Dave, businessmen with their own connections to Trillium House, over coffee and a custom breakfast lovingly prepared by Roger’s wife, Mary.

Breakfasts turned into a tradition—an opportunity for friendship, stories and the kind of meaningful conversations that seem to happen naturally around the Trillium House table.

At 90, Dick continues to keep moving. He works on the classic cars he loves, most recently diving into the restoration of a 1946 Ford station wagon, custom woodwork and all. He hikes Sugarloaf with his daughter Chris, spends time with family and visits friends, including some who now need care themselves.

And he pays attention to what happens to the people around him.

He remembers a friend’s son who needed care but could not be accommodated elsewhere because of his size. Trillium House had a bed and environment that could meet his unique needs.

It was another reminder for Dick of just how important it is to have a place in the community prepared to care for people when other options aren’t available.

A Longstanding Connection

Dick’s connection to Trillium House began long before Nancy needed its care.

Years earlier, Trillium House founder Dr. Dan Mazzuchi would bring his vehicle to Heritage Motors. During those visits, Dan talked with Dick about his vision for creating a place where people nearing the end of life could receive compassionate care in a home-like setting.

Dick heard about the challenges of turning that idea into reality—the need in the community, the search for funding and eventually the work of building Trillium House from the ground up.

Then came one of Dan’s final visits to the shop.

“I think I’ve got some bad news,” Dan told him.

Years after talking with Dick about creating Trillium House, Dan himself would ultimately experience the care of the home he helped create.

Later, so would Nancy.

For Dick, those experiences have reinforced something he has learned throughout his own life as a businessman, husband, father and friend: when you believe something matters, you invest in it.

Helping Make Sure Trillium Is Here for Others

Throughout his life, Dick has approached things with a calm, steady commitment to quality, people and community. There have been plenty of detours along the way, but at 90, he knows the value of trusting his instincts and supporting what he believes in.

One of those things is Trillium House.

Dick is now planning a gift that will help support Trillium House into the future.

“They’ve done a wonderful job at Trillium House,” he said. “When Nancy couldn’t stay at home, we came to Trillium and they were able to help.”

His reason for giving is just as straightforward.

“We’ve had a wonderful life. And I don’t have millions to give, but I’m working to make sure I can support Trillium House however I can.”

That’s a message Dick is happy to share with others.

A legacy gift doesn’t have to be millions of dollars to matter. Gifts of many sizes, made by people who believe in Trillium House and want to help sustain its work, can collectively ensure that compassionate end-of-life care remains available for future families.

Each year, Trillium House raises funds to support its operations as well as help cover the cost of care for individuals and families who need financial assistance through the Dan Mazzuchi Care Fund. Gifts made today—and gifts thoughtfully planned for the future—can help ensure Trillium House is there when a family suddenly finds itself facing the same difficult decisions Dick and his children once faced. Funds raised help to ensure Trillium House is there as an option for everyone, whether they are facing financial hardship at the end of life or simply need support when they can no longer stay at home at the end of their journey.

For Dick, it is another way of taking care of people and investing in something built to last.

And after a life filled with family, friendships, business, classic cars and more than a few sharp bends in the road, he knows the value of helping make the road a little easier for the people coming behind him.

Interested in leaving your own legacy?

You don’t have to have millions to make a meaningful planned gift. If Trillium House has touched your family or you simply believe compassionate end-of-life care should be available in our community, Trillium House would welcome the opportunity to talk with you about ways to support its future.

To learn more about planned giving or other ways to support Trillium House, contact Melissa Cavill, Executive Director, at melissa.cavill@trilliumhouse.org or call (906) 264-5026.

Posted on August 29, 2026 in General News. Bookmark the permalink.