Government and social studies teacher, and wrestling coach, Mr. Ed Lanzi, died peacably on September 5, 2018.  He broke his hip a couple months prior and appeared to be recovering well.  He even rode his tractor one month prior ... on his mountain in North Carolina. He had hospice care his last few days and died peacefully in his daughter's home in North Carolina.  Ed grew up in New Jersey - the toughest wrestling state in the Union. He was a two-time state champion, ending a eight year legacy of Lanzi’s winning in the heavyweight class.  He and one of his older brothers, Harry, went to college where Harry won NCAA Nationals and Ed placed third. Ed and his wife, Janet, lived in married housing with Ed on a full ride scholarship.  They had so little that they had to “share” Ed’s meal ticket. After college, Ed served in the United States Air Force and was the only officer allowed to wrestle for his military team. He taught for 28 years and coached much of that time.  He and his wife Janet bought the north side of a mountain in North Carolina and they made their own road there which is named Lanzi Ledge. His granddaughter, now a grown woman, is married and expecting his great grandchild -  she now lives there and is expanding their house ... as Ed and Janet had always intended to do.  In recent years, Ed has lived with his daughter and son-in-law further down the mountain. He loved all of his family greatly and was ever so proud of his two grandchildren. It was a great delight for him to see them grow up into adulthood.

(The above information is provided by DHS '71 classmate, Johnny Demsick.) 

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LEICESTER, N.C. -- Edward H. Lanzi Sr., 87, passed away peacefully Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018, surrounded by his family.

He was a son of the late Harry Lanzi and Catherine E. Scalzo Lanzi. He grew up in Newton, where he met and married his wife of 51 years, the late Janet L. Simpson Lanzi. He later resided in Westland, Mich., for 30 years prior to moving to Buncombe County, N.C., in 1986. He was a U.S. Army veteran and a member of Bell United Methodist Church.

Mr. Lanzi retired in 1986 from Dearborn High School, where he was a social studies teacher and wrestling and football coach. He later coached football and wrestling at Asheville School.

In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Harry Lanzi and Joseph Lanzi, and a nephew, Joe Lanzi Jr. He is survived by his daughter, Kathleen Pfluger and her husband, John, of Leicester, N.C.; son, Edward H. Lanzi Jr.; grandchildren, Aleah Jones and husband, Lance, and Jordan Pfluger and wife, Vanessa; great-grandchildren, Nolan and Kason Jones, and another expected in November; and nieces and nephews, Kelly Hannagan, Mike Lanzi, Linda Lanzi Woda and Karen Lanzi.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date. The Lanzi family would like to express their heartfelt appreciation to the staff of CarePartners Hospice for their exceptional care for Mr. Lanzi.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bell UMC, 17 Mayrand Road, Leicester, NC 28748. To sign Mr. Lanzi's guestbook online, please go to the memorials at www.andersrice.com.

Published in The New Jersey Herald on Sept. 9, 2018

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Mr. Lanzi was a great wrestling Coach at Dearborn High who NEVER allowed anyone to refer to them as "guys"; they were all MEN. I was in his Social Studies class in the late 50s and he was one of the best teachers and a great "GUY". Oops, he just docked me points (again) on my next test. We still greatly appreciate him for his influence in our lives.

Claude Dillard (DHS 1960), Escondido, CA

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