Lundy Allan Wantland

Lundy Allan Wantland, 78, of Carmine, is now breathing heavenly air as he rests in his Savior's arms. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Thursday, January 12, 2023.
Lundy was born in Walla Walla, Washington on May 23, 1944. Growing up near the mountains in southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon, his father instilled in him a love of the outdoors, hunting, and fishing. Spending summers with a favorite cousin on a ranch near Tri-Cities Washington planted a seed of a dream about ranching in his young heart.
Lundy was always a hard worker, starting as a teenager working on an onion farm and then working in a service station and as a fuel delivery driver. He decided to take the civil service exam, where his natural skills in math landed him a job with the Bureau of Reclamation. Moving to The Dalles, Oregon, he worked on the survey crew for a Columbia River irrigation project.
In April of 1964, he married his first wife, Sharon Wells. Sadly, their first child, a boy, was born prematurely and survived only a day. The Bureau of Reclamation moved him to Spokane Washington for another project and there they were blessed with the birth of a little girl, Vicki, in 1965.
The family then moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho where Lundy attended junior college to begin work on a college degree. He accepted a new job in Kellogg, Idaho at the Bunker Hill Mine and was accepted at Gonzaga University in Spokane. He graduated from Gonzaga with a degree in Mathematics in 1971 and remained a lifelong Bulldog fan. The couple adopted another little girl, Nicole, in 1971. Lundy continued his work in the mining field, moving to the Sunshine Mining Company. The couple's third child, a son John, was born in Coeur d'Alene in 1974.
In 1976, an opportunity with Exxon Minerals took the family to Houston. His career with Exxon spanned 24 years and involved positions with Minerals, Coal, Natural Gas, Controllers and Information Technology. During this time, he completed a master's degree in accountancy at the University of Houston and passed the CPA exam on his first attempt.
Now divorced, Lundy met Julie Howard and they were married on September 21, 1985. The couple enjoyed more than 37 years of love, laughter, respect, and trust. Both worked at Exxon, where an opportunity arose in 1993 for an overseas assignment in Santiago, Chile. The couple moved there for 3 plus years, enjoyed many adventures and travel, and made lifelong expatriate friends. Lundy trained with a mountaineering club and joined an expedition to climb Aconcagua, the highest peak in the western hemisphere. He also helped a friend build a fishing lodge in the remote Patagonia area of southern Chile.
Returning to the U.S. in 1996, Lundy accepted an assignment as the Year 2K coordinator for Exxon Company USA – successfully overseeing the company's preparations for the turn of the century. Interestingly, he retired from Exxon on December 31, 1999 – so although he knew his work had been successful, he didn't actually have to work that night!
Never content unless he had a project going, he turned his attention to building the couple's retirement home in Carmine, Texas. Having purchased a vacant 86-acre parcel, he designed and, over time, constructed a complete working ranch with houses, barns, and a shop for the never-ending maintenance projects. The ranch eventually expanded to 120 acres and earned the nickname the Shear Pin Ranch, after all the shear pins broken on tractors as the work was done.
Moving full time to the Round Top – Carmine area in 2002, Lundy quickly got involved in several organizations, beginning with the Round Top Rifle Association. The RTRA officers and trustees quickly recognized his leadership and management skills and, before long, he was Vice President, then President and then Treasurer. He also served on the Church Council of the couple's community of worship, Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Round Top, and volunteered as a member of the Round Top Family Library Board of Directors.
One of Lundy's greatest joys was hosting children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews at the ranch to enjoy the outdoors and the animals. He loved woodworking, researching family genealogy and playing golf.
He is survived by his spouse, Julie Wantland and his children: daughter Vicki Stevenson and husband Lynwood of Hockley, daughter Nicole Counts and husband Jay of Magnolia, son John Wantland and wife Jihyun of Carmine. The grandchildren that brought him so much joy in life are: Elspeth Bacher Song and husband Jeff, Kelton Counts, Lynwood Stevenson, Josie Stevenson, Kurt Counts, Lilianna Lundy Wantland and Noah Lundy Wantland. He is also survived by brother Wayne Wantland and wife Yuni of Yakima, Washington. Numerous nieces and nephews loved Uncle Lundy and his many cousins appreciated all of his genealogical work to document the Wantland and Lundy families. His daughter Vicki will continue his genealogical work in his memory.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Benjamin and Donna Wantland, his son, Eric Wayne Wantland, his sister Cheryl Wantland Conradt, and his brother-in-law David Conradt.
A celebration of Lundy's life will be held on Saturday, February 18th at 2:00 p.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 410 S. White Street in Round Top, followed by a reception at the Round Top Rifle Hall, 710 FM 1457 in Round Top. An internment service will be held at a later date at Mountain View Cemetery in Walla Walla, Washington.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a memorial donation to Bethlehem Lutheran Church (P. O. Box 38, Round Top, TX 78954), The Round Top Rifle Association (P. O. Box 63, Round Top, TX 78954), or the Round Top Family Library (P. O. Box 245, Round Top, TX 78954).
Family and friends can view and sign the guestbook online at www.lagrangefunerals.com.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Koenig-Belvill Funeral Home and Cremations in La Grange.