Raymond Lantow, 85
Raymond Lantow, age 85 of Fredericksburg, died Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, at MercyOne New Hampton Medical Center.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg with the Rev. Ronnie Koch officiating.
Friends may greet the family from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at the church prior to the memorial service.
Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home and Crematory in Fredericksburg has been entrusted with services. Online condolences for the Lantow family may be left at www.hugebackfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be donated to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg, Northeast Iowa Antique Engine & Power Club, Alpha Methodist Church, Alpha Cemetery.
Raymond Charles Lantow was born on Nov. 30, 1937, on the Massey farm near Nashua, Iowa to Herman and Lena (Etter) Lantow.
He attended rural country schools near Nashua, and Fredericksburg through the eighth grade and he did get his GED in later years.
Raymond completed the family of three sisters (Norma, Maxine, Viola) and one brother (Robert). He and his family lived on this farm until he was 10 years old and then moved to the “home” place which was near Fredericksburg. As a child Raymond loved farming, hunting and fishing.
One night in September 1957, he and friends went to a dance in Hawkeye and that is where he met the love of his life, Mary Pierce. He and Mary dated a few short months and were married on June 29, 1958, at the Alpha Methodist Church in Alpha. To this union three children — Cindy, Harold and Glen — were born.
Raymond and Mary worked side by side on the farm for many years. Along with the farming, Raymond worked at John Deere Waterloo Tractor Works in Waterloo, Iowa from February 1967 to August 1997. Farming and working a second job was tough, but together Raymond and Mary made it work and supported their family.
Raymond loved to hunt ducks, pheasants, deer, turkey and rabbits. Oh the stories he could tell of each hunt. He was also able to take some fishing trips with friends and family. Raymond loved spending time with his family and friends and sharing stories.
Raymond will be remembered by his family and friends for his kindness, willingness to help out, and that he always had time to chat, have a cup of coffee and a cookie or two.
Raymond leaves behind his wife, Mary Lantow of 64 years; daughter, Cindy; son, Harold (Karen); two grandchildren Ashley (Matt) and Nathan (Lexi); eight great-grandchildren, Quincy, Shay, Grady, Alex, Sophia, Kaedence, Mariah and Leighton, all of Fredericksburg; sister, Viola Sullivan of New Hampton; sisters-in-law. Betty Sternat and Carol (Jim) Schulz of Fredericksburg; nieces and nephews; and many friends.
Raymond was preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Lena Lantow; father- amd mother-in law, Eben and Ruby Pierce; son, Glen Lantow; sisters, Norma Ferguson and Maxine Bennor; brother, Robert Lantow; brothers-in-law, Paul Schulz, Elden Sternat, Dewey Barth, Gerald Ferguson, Max Bennor, Ott Schulz, John Sullivan, and George Pierce; sisters-in-law, Mary Pierce and Ruth Barth; and two nieces, Susie, Judy Bennor.
As Raymond would always say at the end of a phone conversation, “Bye for now.”
