Robert Clayton Lentz

Robert Clayton Lentz was born in Page, North Dakota, the son of Edward and Henrietta (Ness) Lentz. He attended school at Ayr, North Dakota until moving to Valley City where he was a 1948 graduate of Valley City High School. He was united in marriage to Pauline Elston on November 30, 1951 in Hope, North Dakota. They made their home in Valley City. Bob was inducted to the US Air Force on January 3, 1951 and discharged Mar 21, 1951. He received his Bachelor of Education from Valley City State College in 1954, attained his Masters in Education from the University of North Dakota in 1969, and continued graduate work at North Dakota State University. Bob’s education experience included teaching at: Walhalla, ND – 1954-1957, where he coached football, basketball and baseball and taught social studies and PE; Barnesville, MN – 1957-1958, where he coached basketball, assistant football and track and taught social studies; Walhalla, ND, - 1958-1968, where he taught social studies, served as high school principal and coached football, wrestling and track. He then worked a year for Horace Mann Insurance in Minot, ND. Bob and family then moved to Valley City and worked in the Valley City Public School system from 1969-1992. He was the assistant principal for grades 7-12 from 1969-1972; became the Junior High Principal from 1972-1978; Senior High Principal from 1978-79 and Superintendent from 1980-1992. He retired after 37 years in education in 1992. He was a past member of the Elks, Eagles, American Legion, and Chamber Red Coat Ambassadors. Bob was a member of the state committee for the North Central Accreditation Association from 1988-1991. He was a member of ND Council of School Administrators Quarter Century Club. He served as the VCSU Alumni Association President in 1990 and was a member of the Advisory Board of the North Dakota High School Activities Association from 1990-1992. He was a 20 year member of Kiwanis where he served as club president in 1991-1992 and Lt. Governor of Division 13 in 1993-1994. He is survived by his wife Pauline; his three sons, Barry (Kristi) Lentz, Grand Forks, ND, Paul (Melinda) Lentz, Ankeny, Iowa, and Michael (Kathy) Lentz, Valley City; two daughters, Roberta Jo (Kenton) Holle, Mandan, ND, and Julie Knutson, Longmont, CO; 15 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren; and a sister Betty (Don) Eckert, Fargo, ND. Bob was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Doris Baumgartner; a brother, Edward Lentz; a son-in-law, Douglas Knutson; and granddaughters, Emily Lentz and Stephanie Holle. The funeral service will be 10 am Saturday, February 29, 2020 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Valley City. Visitation will be 4 – 6 pm Friday, February 28, at the church. Burial will be in Hillside Cemetery in the spring. He died February 11, at Mercy Hospital, Valley City. In Bob's honor, memorials may be directed to Our Savior's Foundation, VCSU - Lentz Scholarship, VCPS Foundation, and CHI Mercy Hospital. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Oliver-Nathan Funeral Chapel. An online guestbook is available at www.oliver-nathanchapel.com

Robert Clayton Lentz

March 1, 1930 - February 11, 2020