Charles L. Lantz Jr., 84, passed peacefully in the presence of family at his home in Lebanon while under hospice care.
“Charlie” was born on September 2nd, 1937, to Dorothy M. (Beamenderfer) Lantz and Charles L. Lantz Sr. He was married to Jean L. (Angelo) Lantz who passed on January 12, 2014. He had a daughter, Janine Faye Lantz, who passed in 1971, and one sister Janet L. (Lantz) Hartman who preceded him in death in 2017.
He is survived by his daughter, Susan J. (Lantz) Thompson, married to Anthony Thompson; and son David M. Lantz, married to Rosemarie D. (Schuster) Lantz, and three granddaughters whom he adored; Arianna N. (Lantz) Snyder, married to Joseph Snyder, Katerina R. Lantz, and Michaela D. Lantz.
Charlie graduated from Lebanon Sr. High School in the Class of 1955 and went on to attend Millersville State Teachers College aspiring to be an Industrial Arts Teacher. Excellent in math and geometry, Charlie found his calling as a machinist and worked at a few local machine shops until landing a job at Miller Machine in Myerstown where within a few years he became the shop manager.
After many years running the operations at Miller Machine, Charlie became manager at Brenner Machine, a division of PRL in Cornwall, PA; working for Erwin “Herk” Herschkowitz to build a business for valve and pump casting and machining for the nuclear, naval, and chemical industries. On Herk’s passing, he worked closely with Herk’s daughter, Janis Herschkowitz, to continue the progress they made and eventually became Vice President of Manufacturing which included Brenner Machine, PRL Industries, Lebanon Tool, and Regal Cast foundry. Charlie retired from PRL in 2008 at age 70 after 26 years. He loved his work and the people he worked with.
Charlie was a Life Member of the NRA and the local R Field & Stream Club. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, shooting, reloading, and knifemaking. He produced many superb, handmade knives for his wife’s kitchen and hunting knives for friends and family by repurposing old saw blades and files. He taught his son to hunt and shoot at the age of six and they spent many years in the local woods and fields hunting deer and pheasant. In his last hunting years, he and his best pal, John Buffington, often took treks into the woods to scout or hunt for deer. He most enjoyed the quiet and peace of being afield whether he was successful or not. Charlie was a wonderful dad, a doting grandfather, and a kind and generous friend who loved his family and friends. We will miss him greatly.
Graveside Services and Internment will be held Saturday, October 16 at 11:00 a.m. at the family plot in Covenant – Greenwood Cemetery (Ebenezer Cemetery) on Route 72 North in Lebanon.
In lieu of flowers, please feel free to donate to the following or any charity of your choice:
Compassionate Care Hospice, 3350 Paxton Street, Suite 5, Harrisburg, PA 17111
National Multiple Sclerosis Society – https://www.nationalmssociety.org/
