William Edward Lantis

SPEARFISH - A Great American Cowboy was lost today. William Edward Lantis (Will) died Sunday, August 6, 2006 in a vehicle related accident near his home in Spearfish. He was a loving husband, son, father, grandfather, brother, and good friend. Will prided himself on meeting people of many backgrounds and being a man of his word. He loved people and he loved to have fun. He was larger than life. Born in Sioux City, Iowa on August 3, 1936 to Merle & Mildred Lantis, he was raised with four siblings, Bob, Don, Marge and Ken. A working family, they owned Ted's Cafe restaurant in Riverside. Will graduated from Central High School in 1954. Will attended the Montana State University and was drafted into the Army to serve in Korea, where he was a member of the Honor Guard and the Army Sharp Shooter Rifle team. He returned and completed his Bachelor's of Science Degree in Political Science and Business with a minor in Spanish, where he met the love of his life, his beautiful wife of 43 years, Mary Ellen Berdahl. They wed on June 15, 1963 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. They moved to Kearney, NE in 1964 where he sold chemicals for 25 years before founding Platte Valley Chemical. He purchased his first long term health care facility in Bridgeport, NE. His drive to provide health care for underserved communities grew into Lantis Enterprises which now owns and operates numerous facilities, rehabilitation clinics and home health agencies in five Mid-Western States. Will fulfilled a life long dream of purchasing a ranch North of Belle Fourche, SD. He also built and operated Seven Down Arenas where he carried out his ongoing cowboy life. He loved riding good horses, backcountry pack trips, rodeoing, and in his later life, Mounted Shooting and Ground Shooting Competitions. Will incorporated many of his hobbies into his businesses. He loved traveling with his family, racquetball and flying. Will attained his single-instrument, multi and commercial rated pilot's licenses with over 12,000 hours of logged flying time and over 30 years experience. Will lived life to the fullest. He was a member of the American Health Care Association, MT, ND & SD Health Care Associations; Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Mason/Shriner, Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rites, Naja Temple, Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association. He founded the Scholarship Board and National Advisory Board, Single Action Shooting Society, Black Hills State University Advisory Board, Western South Dakota Buckaroos, US Marshall's Posse, National Rifle Association, American Quarter Horse Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Elks Lodge, and VFW Club. He was elected Lawrence County Commissioner 1994-1998. He served as Co-Chairman of Lawrence County Republican Party, Co-Chairman of South Dakota Republican conference, and Chairman of Buffalo County Republican Party. He was appointed by President Reagan to serve on the VA Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee and four year Presidential Appointee to National Health Services Corps Advisory council which he chaired for one year. He also served on the Nebraska Masonic Home Board and in the United States Army 1957-1960. More than anything, he was loved by his family and his friends. Grateful for having shared his life are his mother, Mildred, Big Fork, Montana, his wife, Mary Ellen, daughters, Cammy Lantis, Wendy Soulek (Paul), his son, Travis Lantis (Amy), Spearfish and Leah Rinard (Greg) Longmont, CO., and his brothers Bob, Rapid City, Don, Dakota Dunes, SD., Ken, Salt Lake City, UT., and his sister, Marge Bagley, Bigfork, MT. He will be missed by his six grandchildren, Nicholas, Kassidy, Lucas, Zachary, Alexa, and Kali and numerous nieces, nephews and special friends. A memorial in honor of Will is being established; donations may be sent to Wells Fargo Bank in Spearfish to the attention of the Will Lantis Memorial or sent to PO Box 699, Spearfish, SD 57783 Attn: Will Lantis Memorial. Visitation will be held between 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Spearfish with Celebration of Life Service at 7 p.m. Funeral Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 11, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church with the Reverends Kent Stillson, Ken Fouty, and Randy Gunn. Lunch will be served after the services. The procession to the Nemo Gravesite will leave at 1 p.m. where Mr. Lantis will receive Full Military Honors by the Spearfish Honor Guard. Arrangements have been placed in the care of Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel of Spearfish.
This obituary was originally published in the Rapid City Journal.