Eckhart William Lange

Eckhart W. Lange (Bill), 85, of Cortland, Ohio went to be with the Lord on January 27, 2020 at Ohio Living Lake Vista Hospice, Cortland, Ohio following complications from Parkinson’s.

He was born in Sandusky, Ohio on March 29, 1934 to Eckhart and Elsie (Darst) Lange.  He resided in Lorain and Amherst, Ohio until relocating with his wife to Eldersburg, Maryland in 2001.  In 2018 he and his wife moved to Ohio Living Lake Vista, Cortland, Ohio.

Lange was a l953 graduate of Sandusky High School.  In 1957 he received a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Bowling Green State University, and in 1960 a Master of Education in Administration degree from Kent State University.

Lange was an educator in the Lorain City Schools, Lorain, Ohio for 37 years before retiring in 1994.  For 34 of those years, he served as an elementary school principal.  He was instrumental in introducing open-concept to the system, and was on the forefront of magnet school education.  In 1989 he was awarded the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Alliance for Arts Education, School Administrator Award and the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education, School Administrator Award.

During his career, Lange was a member and officer of the Lorain Professional Men’s Teachers Association, Lorain Administrators Association, and Lorain Elementary School Administrators Association.  He was a speaker on education on college campuses, at service clubs, and on Cleveland television stations and Lorain City Schools cable channel.  He was also a member of the Ohio Retired Teachers Association, and Lorain Retired Teachers Association where he served as Information & Protective Services Chairman.

In Eldersburg, Lange was a member of Faith Lutheran Church where he taught both youth and adult classes and was a communion server and Scripture reader. Because of his health, in 2019 he and his wife moved to a continuing care community in Cortland, beautiful Ohio Living Lake Vista   He enjoyed reading, music, crossword puzzles, travel, and spending time with family.

Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Lenchen (Lenni) (nee Galle) Lange; sons Jerry Lange of Rock Creek, Ohio, Troy Lange (Dana) of Glen Arm, Maryland, Eric Lange (Elizabeth) of Berlin, Germany; three granddaughters, Arianna, Caterina, and Bridget, and one grandson, Conrad; brothers Robert (Shirley) of Guyton, Georgia, Irving (Beverly) of Gladstone, Missouri, and Richard (Sue) of Sandusky, Ohio; and nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Eckhart Sr. and Elsie Lange; sisters, Mary Jane Huntsman and Gloria Reedy; brother Jim Lange; sister-in-law Elaine Lange, and nephew Jimmy Lange.

Visitation will be Saturday, 2/8/20 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Fleming & Billman Funeral Directors and Crematory, 49 W. Jefferson St., Jefferson, Ohio.  Services will follow at 2:00 p.m. at the Chapel in Morgan Union Cemetery, Rock Creek, Ohio with the Rev. Douglas Winner of the Jefferson United Methodist Church officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Faith Lutheran Church, 1700 St. Andrews Way, Eldersburg, MD, 21784; Ohio Living Lake Vista, 303 North Mecca Street, Cortland, Ohio, 44410; or to your charity of choice.  To view obituary, express condolences or light a candle visit fleming-billman.com.

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