Elizabeth "Betty" Jane Lantz

Elizabeth Jane Cavanaugh was born August 31, 1920, in Lansing, Michigan, to James and Mary (Brogan) Cavanaugh. She passed away on Wednesday, March 27, 2013, at her home in Whittier, California, at the age of 92.



Betty, as she was known to family and friends, grew up and went to school in Lansing. Following her graduation from high school, Betty chose to continue her education at The College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio. She earned her Bachelors at Mount St. Joseph, but more importantly, she met the love of her life, Alvin Robert Al Lantz, who was a student at Xavier University.



During World War II, Betty went to work at AC Spark Plug Company in Flint, Michigan. Al served honorably in the US Army during the war, and they were married January 26, 1946, in Lansing, Michigan, following his discharge.



Betty and Al initially made their home in Louisville, Kentucky. After a flood hit their home in 1948, Al came to southern California looking for work. Betty joined him later that year. They built their family home in Whittier in 1956, and raised their four children there. Betty and Al both enjoyed playing golf, and, while they spent a lot of time in their second home in Rancho Mirage, Whittier was their primary home until the time of their death.



Betty was a devoted wife and mother. Who was very involved in her church and the activities of her children. She became actively involved with the Girl Scouts when her daughter Joan was growing, and Betty remained active in leadership positions in the organization, even after Joan graduated from scouting. Bettys grandchildren and great-grandchildren were extremely important to her, and she remained a continued source of love and inspiration to each of them.



Betty possessed that fighting Irish spirit, yet she was also kind and loving. She became a matriarch to her extended family of nieces and nephews when her sister died at a young age. True to her Catholic and Irish roots, Betty was a big fan of Notre Dame. In her later years, she enjoyed traveling with her husband, as well as her grandchildren.



She was predeceased by Al, who died in 2005. She is survived by four children, Joan Lantz, Lee Lantz (Karen), Birney Lantz (Miriam), and Joseph Lantz (Cathy). She will also be missed by her seven grandchildren, Anastasia Lantz Glennie, Jean Lantz, John Lantz, Allison Lantz, Sean Lantz, Collin Lantz, and Connor Lantz, and four great-grandchildren, Ireland, Logan, and Rhett Glennie, and Emerson Lantz.



A Rosary will be led at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, April 1, 2013, at White Emerson Mortuary, 13304 E. Philadelphia St.,Whittier. Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 2nd at St. Brunos Church, 15740 Citrustree Rd., Whittier. Burial will immediately follow at Rose Hills Memorial Park, also in Whittier, California.