Franklin Lantz

Franklin Burdette Lantz age 49 of Charles City, IA died Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN. Private family services will be held. 641-435-4134. Frank was born on May 21, 1972, to Francis and Carolyn (Herman) Lantz in Iowa City. He was the oldest of the couple’s five boys and grew up in Nashua and Charles City area. At an early age, he fell in love with cars and motorcycles, and throughout his life, that love never wavered. He received much of his education in Nashua schools, although he also attended classes in Charles City, where he graduated from a Job Corps program. Frank worked a variety of jobs as a young man. He was a welder. He worked as a CNC machine operator. He helped on hog farms. He worked in a cookie factory. And he had a career in trucking. For the last 13 1/2 years, he was an over-the-road truck driver, and his travels took him to every corner of the United States. He always provided for his six children — Franklin, Brianna, Katlyn, Mackenzie, Cole and Noah – who had a dad who not only worked hard but played hard. His “babies,” though, were his 2017 silver and black Corvette and his two Harley-Davidson motorcycles. He drove all over the country for his job, and when he finally got a day off, he found relaxation in, of all things, driving. He took great care of that Corvette and those motorcycles, although his finance, Deb Wells, will tell you with a laugh that he drove them like a “psycho.” Frank and Deb had known each other for years, and finally one day last year, he called her up, invited her to dinner and the two became a couple. In many ways, he was a larger-than-life character. He stood 6-foot-4 and weighed 270 pounds. He’d go five, six weeks straight working. He liked fast cars and fast motorcycles. He loved his Great Dane, Mack, as if it was one of his own kids. But when it came right down to it, he was also a family man. If there was a family barbecue, Frank was there and in the middle of it — pulling pranks and telling stories. And his family and friends will miss him dearly, but they also appreciate that he will live on in others as he was an organ and tissue donor who will help bring renewed life to others. Franklin is survived by his wife, Deb Wells of Charles City, IA; his mother, Carolyn Lantz of Charles City, IA; three sons, Franklin (Andrea) Foster of Charles City, IA, Cole Lantz of Girard, IL, Noah Lantz of Girard, IL; three daughters, Brianna Lantz of Charles City, IA, Katlyn (Matt) Heffron of Charles City, IA, Mackenzie Teeter of Algona, IA; seven grandchildren; four brothers, Jason (Lisa) Lantz of Mason City, IA, Chad (Desi) Lantz of Charles City, IA, Dan (Brandi) Lantz of Charles City, IA, Paul (Amanda) Lantz of Charles City, IA; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Francis in 2018; one sister, Hannah, in infancy.