LANTZ, Duane L., 68, of Saltsburg, PA, passed away on Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012, at Indiana Regional Medical Center, Indiana, PA.
Born Sept. 1, 1943, in Colliers, WV, he was the son of the late Paul O. Lantz and Lois G. (Mechling) Lantz.
Duane was a life-long member of Cross Creek Tent Presbyterian Church. He received his B.S. with honors from West Liberty State College in 1965, and completed his M.B.A. in Business Administration at West Virginia University in 1979. He was a senior accountant at Price Waterhouse & Co from 1965-71, until he joined the administrative team at Washington and Jefferson College. Duane worked first as an accountant, then as the Director of Financial Affairs. He also served as an instructor for the college's Economics and Business Department and the W&J Evening Program. He was promoted in 1979 and served as the college's Vice President for Business and Finance, CFO until his retirement in 2000. In 2001, he was appointed Vice President Emeritus of Business and Finance.
Article Photos
Duane retired to his farm in Saltsburg, joined the Herb Society, completed the Penn State Master Gardener Program, and dug a two acre pond. He bought goats, geese, chickens, fish, and many plants. Duane became active in the life and mission of Southern Indiana County Parish (Ebenezer, Jacksonville, and Tunnelton Presbyterian Churches) where his wife, Susan, served as Pastor. That's a lot of Church dinners. Duane even tutored children after school in her churches' tutoring program. This moved him to become a certified foster parent. He wanted to save everything, and everyone, and make them better. Duane loved art and opera, antiquing, gardening, and dreaming up large projects that he could (preferably) supervise. He, along with his wife Susan had bred and showed Birmans (Sacred Cat of Burma) when they lived in Washington. So he is also survived by many lovely cats, and one very large sad dog, Annie, at home in Saltsburg.
In addition to his parents, Duane was preceded in death by his sisters: Wanda and Lois Virginia Lantz.
Duane is survived by his wife, Rev. Susan Porch Lantz, of Saltsburg; brother: William (Carolyn) Lantz of Colliers, WV, brother-in-laws: David (Barbara) and James Porch of Saltsburg, sister-in-law: Catherine (Doug) Josey of Nova Scotia, and several nieces and nephews along with their children. He is also survived by his loving aunts: Opal Lantz of Follansbee, WV, Bessie McCaffrey of Weirton, WV, Bertha W. Wiegmann of Eldersville, PA.
Friends and family will be received on Friday, Aug. 10, 2012, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the James Funeral Home, 1245 Main St., Follansbee, WV. A funeral service will be held Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012, at 2 p.m. at the Cross Creek Tent Presbyterian Church, Colliers, WV, with the Reverend Doctor Willa Dean Lowery and Reverend Frank Lewis officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Duane's name to the Saltsburg Food Bank c/o Sharon Getty, 116 Jewel Road, Homer City, PA 15748; Herb Society of Historic Saltsburg, c/o Louisa Fordyce, 195 Martz Road, Saltsburg, PA 15681-3422; Saltsburg Fire Company, 313 Salt St., Saltsburg, PA 15681.
