Joseph S. Jantz

Joseph S. "Joe" Jantz, age 96, died May 9 at the Life Care Center, in Ritzville, where he had resided the last several weeks.

Joe was born March 14, 1909, on the Andrew Jantz farm northwest of Ruff, in Grant County Washington. He and his twin sister Josephine were the second and third of four children born to parents John C. and Susie (Kaufman) Jantz. The Jantz family moved to their new home in Ruff in 1910, then to Odessa in 1921. Joe graduated from Odessa High School in 1928. He then attended Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas, and after one year transferred to Washington State College in Pullman where he majored in Business Administration.

Joe started farming near Ruff in 1934 and lived on the farm until moving to Ritzville in 1954. Joe was actively engaged in farming until 1965. He was named Grant County Farmer of the Year in 1947. In 1960 Joe was one of 14 men selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, through Washington State College, to travel to Poland, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and the Soviet Union to study different wheat varieties, and their yields and qualities. Joe served in leadership roles with several agriculture organizations including the Columbia Basin Development League. Joe was a member of the board of directors of the Odessa Trading Company for 32 years and served as vice president for 12 years.

Joe married Lillian Waltner in 1940 and together they lived on the farm or in Ritzville for 31 years until Lillian's death in 1971. In 1964, Joe and Lillian, along with Lillian's brother, Walter Waltner, purchased a lake home on Priest Lake in northern Idaho. Joe and Lillian spent several months each year at their home on Priest Lake and entertained both family and friends at "the lake."

Joe married Marie Stucky in 1972 and together they lived in Ritzville and at their Priest Lake home for 25 years until Marie's death in 1997. During their years together Joe and Marie traveled extensively and visited Europe, Asia, North, Central and South America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

He was active in both the Menno Mennonite Church in Ritzville and the Priest Lake Community Church. At Menno he served on the church board and was vice chairman of the building committee when the present church building was built in 1950. He was the treasurer of the Mennonite Pacific District Conference for five years and a trustee of the board for an additional five years. At the Priest Lake Community Church at Nordman, Idaho, he was a founder and moderator. One of Joe's favorite boards was the Bethel College Board in North Newton, Kansas, where he served as a trustee for 10 years.

Church and family were extremely important parts of Joe's life. He enjoyed celebrating holidays and special occasions with family and friends, and was well known for his extensive knowledge of the family trees. Joe spent time on his trips back and forth to Kansas going through Montana and South Dakota to stop and visit with his many relatives.

Joe was a commissioner, trustee or member of the board of directors of more than 15 companies during his lifetime. He was co-founder of Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake where he served as a hospital district commissioner for 30 years including terms as secretary-treasurer for 20 years and chairman of the board for five years. He was also a charter member of the Public Hospital Association of Washington and served on its board for five years and as its president for one year. Joe was charter member of the board of directors of the Columbia Basin State Bank in Moses Lake, which was later sold to Seattle First National Bank. Joe then served on its board of directors for two years. He was a member of the board of Sunset Life Insurance Company of Olympia for 20 years.

In 2000 Joe moved into the Rose Garden Estates in Ritzville, where he lived until being moved to the Life Care Center. Joe was preceded in death by his first wife Lillian Waltner Jantz and his second wife Marie Stucky Jantz, and his three sisters, Jennie Jantz Krehbiel, Josephine Jantz Stucky and Esther Jantz Wiens. Joe is survived by his special friend, Naomi Clark of Spokane, and by numerous nieces and nephews.

Graveside services with vault interment were held on May 14, at 1 p.m. at Menno Mennonite Cemetery, followed by a service at Menno Mennonite Church at 2 p.m. Pastor Terry Rediger officiated.

Danekas Funeral Home of Ritzville was in charge of the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Unified Budget of the Menno Mennonite Church at 1378 N. Damon Road, Ritzville, WA 99169, or to the Priest Lake Community Church at Nordman, Idaho 83848.