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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
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Lortz, Harlan J.
Harlan J. Lortz, 88, of Cedar Rapids, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, following an extended illness. Memorial services: 11 a.m. Saturday at Calvary Baptist Church, 5338 Johnson Ave. SW. Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. today at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids. Private graveside services will take place.
Survivors include his wife of 25 years, Rose Marie; his daughters, Karen Nielsen and Ruth (Charles) Batzel; his son, Mark (Patti); stepson, Terry (Nan) Trimpe; stepdaughter, Teresa (Mike) David; his grandchildren, Amanda (Nick) Shriver, Tanya (Eric) Griffith, Elizabeth Batzel, David Batzel, Nathan (Kayla) Lortz, Anne (Zach) Imboden and Abby David; and great-grandchildren, Logan and Abigail.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Florence; his parents, Truman and Neva (Durr) Lortz; and his sister, Juanita Canfield.
Harlan was born March 26, 1921, at his family home in rural Williamsburg. He graduated from Williamsburg High School in 1938 and from Wheaton College in 1943. He married Florence Schlesselman on Sept. 5, 1943. During World War II, he served his country in the Philippines as part of the U.S. Army Medical Corps. He worked for Sherwin Williams, Barlows, Wright and Shores and Penford Products. The majority of his career was at Amana Refrigeration, where he served in various positions, including vice president of Manufacturing.
Harlan served the Lord at Calvary Baptist Church as a deacon, Sunday school superintendent and adult Bible teacher. He served on the boards of the Jane Boyd Community House and the Denver Theological Seminary.
He was an awesome man and will be remembered for his love of learning and ability to teach, love of travel, fun on family vacations, consulting in the People's Republic of China and treating his grandchildren to doughnuts.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Harlan's memory to Calvary Baptist Church; Denver Theological Seminary, 6399 S. Santa Fe Dr., Littleton, CO 80120; or the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28201.
Please sign the online guest book for Harlan at under obituaries.
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