- Date Of Birth: September 23, 1936
- Date Of Death: February 27, 2015
- State: Indiana
William E. “Bill” Lantz, 78, of Middlebury, passed away Friday, Feb. 27, at Elkhart Hospice House after an extended illness.
He was born in Elkhart to the late Lyle A. Lantz and Opal M. (Whitmeyer) Lantz on Sept. 23, 1936.
On Jan. 20, 1962, he married the late Janet E. (Shultz) Lantz in Elkhart.
Survivors include his son, Douglas M. (Mary Jo) Lantz of Middlebury; one stepdaughter, Diane S. (Michael) Cooper of Elkhart; and six grandchildren, Amy (Steve) Olmstead of Goshen and Jordan, Emily, Allison, Adam and Conner Lantz, all of Middlebury.
Bill graduated from Concord High School in 1955. He later served in the U.S. Army Reserves, 893 Artillery Division, from 1955 to 1963.
He worked in management at CTS Corp. for 42½ years and retired in 1999. He then worked part-time in the sporting goods department at Walmart on C.R. 6 in Elkhart for 14½ years.
Bill was a lifelong drummer and played with the CTS Quarter Century Club Band. Bill and Janet loved antiques and had a large collection at one time.
He enjoyed Chicago telephones (CTS) made from 1896 to 1940. He loved old cars, and was fond of his 1966 Mustang convertible. He attended many car shows in the area and won several awards. Bill was a member of the Hoosier Mustang Club. He loved hunting and fishing and enjoyed watching IU basketball and Indianapolis Colts football.
Bill lived in Elkhart most of his life until 2012, when he moved to Middlebury to be closer to his grandchildren.
