John H. Lang

Johann "John" H. (Hansi) Lang, 87, of Fresno, California, passed away on December 13, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. A man of profound wisdom and quiet affection, his adored grandchildren remember a gentle giant who delighted in their stories, shared his philosophies, and created lasting memories through hand-made gifts always woven with his message that time is precious and faith endures. The holiday seasons, camping, and fishing with his family were his most cherished pleasures.

He was born on April 6, 1938, in Landshut, Bavaria, Germany, to Johann Nepomuk Lang, a police sergeant, and Therese Lang (née Floßmann).

John was seven years old when World War II ended. His early years unfolded on his grandmother's farm in the Black Forest region of Bavaria. Amid rolling hills dotted with evergreen pines and fertile fields, he cultivated a lifelong love for the land. As he later reflected in his autobiography, this environment instilled in him the "discipline of growing food, the harvest and preservation of that food by natural means." He vividly remembered the spring day in May 1945 when a jeep "ground to a halt"—a white star on its hood—and American soldiers arrived at the family farm. His grandmother placed fresh eggs in a soldier's helmet. That small gesture of grace between strangers determined the course of his life.

His last Christmas in Germany came in 1949, at age eleven. He would later write of trudging through snow to find the perfect tree, the midnight pilgrimage to church, and the stars that "sparkled like diamonds as if to say this is the night." The search for the perfect tree became a tradition he carried on with his sons. In February 1950, John and his family emigrated to the United States aboard the USS Washington, settling in Chicago. On December 8, 1969, John proudly became an American citizen.

John served in the United States Air Force from 1959 to 1964, stationed in Tokyo, Japan. It was there, on October 28, 1960, that he married his beloved Barbara in a civil ceremony in downtown Tokyo, followed by a church wedding the following April. Their first two children—Theresa Marie and John Steven—were born in Japan.

After his military service, John and Barbara settled in Fresno, California, where they welcomed two more children—Cynthia Michelle and James Michael—and where John built his career with the Santa Fe Railroad. Fluent in German, English, and conversational Japanese, he rose from inspector to district manager of the Perishable Traffic Development Department, mastering the economics of the rail industry and earning the respect of colleagues and shippers throughout the San Joaquin Valley.

John was a lifelong learner. He earned his associate's degree from Fresno City College in 1975, studying economics and investments, and went on to amass a personal library of thrift-store gold—books alongside the prank toys he used to create joyous memories.

A survivor of four cancers over 24 years—prostate, lung, bladder, and lung again—John faced each diagnosis with the same quiet resilience he had shown throughout his life, and the same determination kept him attending the gym regularly until October 2025, especially his beloved water aerobics classes.

In his final days, John shared his philosophies on life freely—not just with family, but with nurses, doctors, and every caregiver who entered his room. "I am a spiritual being, having a physical experience," he would say, "and some day we all have to go back to being a spiritual being." This was not just a personal mantra, but his way of reassuring others that he accepted life's impermanence—that time here is a gift, and faith carries us forward.

He is survived by his beloved wife Barbara; children Theresa Marie, John Steven, Cynthia Michelle, and James Michael; niece Patricia; his grandchildren Nicole, Meagan, Jessica, James Michael Jr., Zackery, James Michael H., Samantha, Christina, Danielle, and Mackenzie; thirteen (and counting…) great-grandchildren; beloved dog Molly; and countless friends who were blessed by his wisdom and warmth.

He was preceded in death by his brother Reinhold and Reinhold's wife Sheila.

In lieu of flowers please donate to a cancer charity of your choice.

The family will have a private service at the cemetery after the Mass.