Johnny Lang

Johnny Lang of Harrison Township, Michigan, passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 12, due to complications from kidney disease, at the age of ninety.

Johnny was the beloved father of Lisa Otremba (Lyle), Nicole Lang, Monique Dancel (Chito), Jeff Lang, and predeceased by his youngest daughter, Vanessa Tocco.

He was the loving grandfather to Max and Eva Otremba, Sophia, Mia and Vincent Dancel, and Jack, Nina, Ella and Santino Tocco.

He was born Jean Jacques Chartrand, December 7th, 1935, in Kapuskasing, Ontario, to John Chartrand and Blanch LeBlanc, and descended from a lineage of lumberjacks due to the timber industry in northern Ontario. He was born a twin, along with his brother, Jean Guy Chartrand.

With his birth parents unable to keep him, he was adopted by Irene (his birth mother's sister) and Nelson Lang, as a young child. His early upbringing began in Windsor, Ontario. At the age of sixteen, his family moved to Royal Oak, Michigan, where he grew up in the golden age of the 1950s. He graduated from St. Mary's of Royal Oak, class of 1955. It was there he lettered in Football and performed in theatre. He was offered a Dramatic Arts Scholarship to the University of Windsor, Ontario, but declined to begin a nearly thirty-year career as a steelworker at Jones & Laughlin Steel in Warren, Michigan.

In 1958, he paused his career at J&L Steel to volunteer for the draft into the US Army, 3rd Armored Division, 36th Infantry. It was during this time that his natural athleticism allowed him to place second out of eight hundred men during his PT finals. During the Army, Johnny was able to travel Europe, and while stationed in Bad Nauheim, Germany, befriended the King of Rock & Roll.

Shortly after returning home in 1960, Johnny met Mary Louise Paquin at the Deer Hunt Inn, in 1962. That evening, he whispered to his friend, "I'm going to marry that girl." As he predicted, they were married six months later. He and Louise settled in Clinton Township, Michigan, where they raised five children and were married for nearly thirty years.

Johnny and Louise would go dancing every Saturday night, throughout the 1970s. They extolled the values of hard work, sacrifice, humor, and faith in God to their children.

Johnny's incredible zest for life and boundless energy allowed him to continue dancing well into his senior years. He became a legend at the Alibi Inn in Clinton Township. It was there that he developed many beloved friendships and a reputation for regaling the crowd with stories from his time with Elvis Presley.

Even while battling kidney issues, he would still frequent the Alibi Inn, but instead of dancing, he would take a seat and have his crew sit with him, sharing laughs and stories.

After the Steel mill closed in 1983, Johnny continued working, finally retiring at the age of eighty-eight. It was not his will, but health issues that kept him from working longer.

An avid reader, he devoured books, preferring autobiographies. He loved movies, sometimes seeing two in one day. He was in a bowling league for many years and was an excellent pool player. He loved trash-talking his opponents into defeat.

He volunteered at the Hope Food Center in Clinton Township for years, driving a forklift and helping to distribute food for the underprivileged.

As a published author, he relished the positive feedback and well-wishes received from his book released in 2023, "My Army Days with Elvis". He appeared on numerous podcasts, most notably "Those Elvis Girls," which garnered many kind emails and letters from Elvis fans all over the world.

At his 90th birthday party in December 2025, he was delighted to have the following enshrined as a gift from his dear friend Gerri that reads: Johnny Lang's motto about life: God, Health, Family, Friends. A little act of kindness to another human being goes a long way.

That simple epithet is how he would like to be remembered.

Johnny enriched the lives around him with his infectious, dynamic personality and positive energy. Regarding his family, he said many times, "Throughout my life, the thing I'm most proud of is my relationship with my children." His blue-collar persona was steeped in humor, and the adoration of his five children and nine grandchildren.

In the spirit of his rustic French-Canadian heritage, which he so proudly embraced, Johnny embodied that exuberant, yet simple joie de vivre.

A funeral mass will be held at on Friday, March 6th, at 10AM at, St. Mary of Royal Oak Catholic Church, 730 South Lafayette Avenue in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Friends and loved ones may visit A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Home (Vasu, Rodgers and Connell Chapel) at 32515 Woodward Ave. in Royal Oak, Michigan on Friday, March 6th from 1pm-8pm, with a special Lang family tribute beginning at 4:00 PM.

Instead of flowers, we invite you to make a donation in Johnny's name to one of his favorite charities: The Tunnel 2 Towers Foundation (www.T2T.org) or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. (www.stjude.org)

Please leave a memory or condolence on the online guestbook below.