Robert "R.B." Lange

R.B. Lange, age 87, passed away on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28, 2012. Rosary will be at 7 p.m. Friday, June 1 at Johnson's Funeral Home Chapel. Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 2 at Holy Angels Catholic Church with committal of his ashes in the mausoleum at Calvary Cemetery following the mass.

R.B. was born Robert Bernard Lange in Olfen, Texas on January 13, 1925 to Robert and Hildegarde Lange. He was the 6th child in a family of 9 children, 3 girls and 6 boys, 5 of who served in the military.

R.B. grew up on his family's farm in Olfen, Texas. He was drafted into the Army, 76th Division, B, 304th Infantry Regiment in June 1944. He did his basic training at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas before being shipped to Europe where, because he could speak German, he was assigned as a "runner" for a weapons platoon. He was honorably discharged in May 1946.

On April 15, 1947, R.B. married Lynette Hoelscher at Ballinger, Texas. They farmed at Brookshire, Texas the first year of marriage. In January 1948, he began working at San Angelo National Bank while attending classes at San Angelo College. In his 41 years with San Angelo National Bank, he rose from the mail clerk to become a loan officer, chief operations officer and vice chairman of the board. He retired from the bank on August 1, 1988 and continued to serve on the board of directors until 1997. During his lifetime, he was a member of the Knights of Columbus, served on the finance committee of the Concho Valley Council of the Boy Scouts. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club, chairman of West Texas Chapter of Texas Association of Business, President of the Red Cross of San Angelo, President of Catholic Life Insurance, on the board of directors of Alcoholics Anonymous, and served with many other community organizations.

R.B. is preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Werner and his wife Catherine, Gilbert and his wife Olga, Jerome, George, and sister Elvira and her husband Henry Halfmann, and great grandson Austin David. He is survived by his wife Lynette, and children Mary Lange, Jeanie and Norman Krenzer, Doug and Lisa Lange, Bruce and Clara Lange, grandchildren Keith and Seri Lange, Cody Lange, Craig and Kristen Lange, Justin Krenzer, Natalie and Jared Greenhalgh, Athena Black, Camden Black, Shannadon Black, and Marissa Black. Also surviving are nine great grandchildren, two great great grandchildren, his brother Hubert and his wife Nita Lange, sister Adeline Eggemeyer, sister Dorothy "Dottie" and her husband Floyd Frerich, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

With his children, he was a teacher.

With his grandchildren, he was a teacher who had fun.

With his great grandchildren, he just had fun.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Holy Angels Catholic Church in San Angelo, Texas or charitable organization of the donors choosing.