OWENSBORO, Ky. — Raymond Lee Nantz Sr., 83, of Owensboro, passed away on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, while under the care of Hospice of Western Kentucky. He was born July 24, 1937, in Ohio County, Kentucky, to the late Elbert Lee and Emily Drace Nantz.
Mr. Nantz was retired after 41 years with Modern Welding and attended Lewis Lane Baptist Church. He loved Anna Simpson, his best friend of 20 years, and loved God and his country. He enjoyed bluegrass music, traveling, and dancing, and was a Kentucky Colonel.
Mr. Nantz also loved kids, umpired many years for youth baseball, and going to his grandchildren and great grandchildren’s sporting events.
He was also preceded in death by a son, John Wesley Nantz, in 1990, and a brother, Dalton “Nanner” Nantz.
Surviving are his best friend, Anna Simpson, of Owensboro; two sons, Raymond Lee Nantz Jr. and wife, Susie, of Darnestown, Maryland, and Wendell Glenn Nantz, of Lavergne, Tennessee; five grandchildren, Andrea Nantz, John Nantz Jr. and wife, Lacey, Alyssa Michael and husband, Jon, Ali Hagan and husband, Scott, and Kassie Nantz and husband, Andrew; three great-grandchildren, Dylan, Beau, and Memphis Joe Nantz; Matt Allen, of Centertown, Kentucky, who was like a grandson to him; a brother, Wendell Nantz and wife, Jane, of Calhoun, Kentucky; two sisters, Catherine Hoover, of Hartford, Kentucky, and Sue Hatfield, of Calhoun; a sister-in-law, Chris Nantz, of Owensboro; and a daughter-in-law, Sandra Nantz, of Philpot, Kentucky.
The funeral service with limited attendance will be Saturday, March 13, at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory. Private graveside services will follow at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery in Ohio County. Visitation will be from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
The number of those attending the visitation or funeral service for Mr. Nantz shall be within current health and safety directives. Family and friends shall wear appropriate personal protective masks and enter the doors near the flagpole on the Breckenridge Street side of the building.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Western Kentucky, 3419 Wathens Crossing, Owensboro, KY 42301. Memories and condolences to the family can be shared at www.glenncares.com.