Bud Lanz

Robert “Bud” Lanz died as the trumpets blew at sundown on the first day of Rosh Hashanah announcing and ushered in a new year, a new beginning, a new season, and a new life (on Monday, September 30, 2019 at Clara City Care Center at t he age of 75).

He closed his eyes with his family by his side and opened his eyes to the singing of Amazing Grace welcoming him to the arms of Jesus Christ Our Savior.

A private celebration service was held at the Care Center as he was escorted back to the Mayo Clinic.  Bud requested he be returned to the Mayo Clinic so that he could continue helping others with Gioblastoma in the spinal cord and eventually the brain stem.

Bud was born in Sidney, Montana on November 2, 1943 to Stanley Harrison and Ida Myrtle (Spaur) Lanz.  He grew up in Montana and made his way to Bible College in Minnesota where he met the love of his life, Mary Hastings.  They were married on April 3, 1965 in Duluth Minnesota. They stayed in Minnesota, living in Deer Creek, Redwood Falls, Watson and then Montevideo.  Bud served as a Pastor and lay Pastor for many years and then served as the manager of the Bethel Camp in Watson.  He worked at Western Printers in Montevideo from 1984 to 1998 and retired due to health issues. 

Bud modeled to his family the character of Our Heavenly Father.  He was a kind, giving, patient, and gentle man.  Bud turned his hobby of woodworking into a business working for Norm VanGorp and then making things on his own.  He created coffins, cremation urns, furniture, cabinets.  He so enjoyed this work and his philosophy was to take a piece of wood and “let the wood tell you what it wants to become”.

Bud loved serving as a lay Pastor.  He was a creative, loving and giving person.   He was keenly aware to the needs of others and strived to make all his relationship encounters personal. He had a quiet spirit and a “dry” sense of humor.  

Bud is survived by the love of his life Mary, together 56 years and married for 54 years; children: Jennifer (Nigel) Eades and their children: Ethan and Jaden; Rebecca (Michael) Grussing and their children: Selena (Cory) Kuheana and great-granddaughters, Indie and Mave, Alexander (Courtney) Grussing and great-grandchildren: Cora and Finn, Solomon (Kendall) Grussing and great-grandson, Lewis Charles, and Adriana Grussing;  Matthew Lanz and special friend (Chona Lendy Lasso) and children: Jordan, Logan, Jared, Leaf, and Skyler; Andrew Lanz and children: Elijah, Samuel, Isaac, and Joshua; siblings: Kenneth (Ada) Lanz, Flora Simpson, Winifred (Larry) Larson, and Candace Carlson; and many nieces and nephews on his side; also his mother-in-law, Betty Hastings; sister-in-law, Julie Ann Netzel; nieces: Lisa (Dan) Podgorsek and grand-nephew, Bryce Podgorsek and Cathy (Dave) Ehert and twin grand-nieces, Lexy and Ceara and grand-nephew, Gavin; an aunt, Ruth Hauge (Hank); and extended family and friends.

Bud was preceded in death by his parents and two children by miscarriage: Olivia Kathryn Joy and Joseph Harrison Ray.