In 1953 he entered into the ROTC Air Force program and then in 1955 the Advanced US Army ROTC. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1959. From there he progressed through the ranks to Colonel in 1982. He retired after 30 years military service, COL USAR in 1989. During this time he was an avid and accomplished marksman and qualified for the National Marksmanship Team in Pistols.
Larry received his bachelor of Arts in Civil Engineering from North Dakota State University in Fargo ND. He also spent 2 years at New Mexico University in Architecture. He graduated from Mississippi State University with a Masters in Civil Engineering. He was a Graduate Assistant and instructed Engineering Mechanics at Mississippi State, where he received his Masters Degree. In 1981 he entered into the Ph.D. program to pursue his doctorate. He was a registered Professional Engineer and in the states of Texas, Mississippi, North Dakota, Maryland, Wisconsin, New York, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.
His love of engineering was spread out from 1959 to 2019. Larry spent large blocks of time in several firms: Bovay Engineering, Gulf Interstate Engineers, Kinder Morgan, Pickering, Wooten, Smith, Weis PE and Michael Baker Engineering as a Principal Engineer. At the time of his death, he was the principal engineer at Alliance Labs, Guthrie Buildings and Cherry House Moving all in Houston Texas. He was a valued member of the American Society of Professional Engineers and served on the board of The Foundation Performance Association.
His passions included his love and loyalty to First United Methodist Church, where he was an active member since January, 1988. Larry was a member of the Boy Scouts from 1942 through 2010. In 1998 he received the Silver Beaver awarded by the Sam Houston Area Council and in 2015 the Silver Torch award given by The Methodist Church.
Larry enjoyed working with his hands. He designed, built and restored beautiful furniture, made fun toys, such as a Zip Line, long before it became popular sport. He designed and built a playhouse with running water and electricity for his daughter and her friends; and a fort for his son. He built a home for his parents in Devils Lake, ND. Larry had a quirky passion for lawn mowing.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Nora Nelson Lanz and Arthur John Lanz. His first wife, Sally Browne Lanz, and his son, Charles Arthur Lanz. Larry is survived by his wife, Margaret Grayson Clesi Lanz, his daughter and son-in-law, Sarah Grace Lanz Brown and Michael Brown of University City, TX. His step-children Mary Grayson Clesi Tilley, Russell B Tilley of Coppell TX, John Joseph Clesi III, Brianna Watson Clesi of Montgomery, TX, Sara Clesi Prather and Michael Prather of Houston, TX. His grandchildren, Lanz Brown, Veronica Tilley, Clesi Tilley, Grayson Tilley, Wyatte Watson, Lucy Clesi, Dottie Clesi, Jonathan Prather and Paul Prather. He has one sister & brother in law, Patrick and Joann Braunagel of Redding, CA.
Funeral service will be Saturday, September 14, 2019 at 10:00 am at First United Methodist Church, 1320 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002.
In lieu of flowers the family would request that donations be made to First United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 1320 Main Street, Houston TX 77002
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