Dean Geltzer Lauritzen

Male 1925 - 2008  (83 years)


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  • Name Dean Geltzer Lauritzen 
    Born 29 Mar 1925  Columbus, Ohio Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 3 May 2008  Bonita Springs, Florida Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried North Lawn Cemetery, Canton, Ohio Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I32769  Virts
    Last Modified 17 Apr 2016 

    Father Hans Peter Lauritzen,   b. 21 Dec 1894, Denmark Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Feb 1988, Naples, Florida Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 93 years) 
    Mother Mary Helen Adams,   b. 21 Jul 1900, Franklin Township, Ohio Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Dec 1980, Naples, Florida Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 80 years) 
    Married 12 Feb 1922  Franklin County, Ohio Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Family ID F13008  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Jane Greer 
    Children 
     1. Kristine Lauritzen
     2. Karen Lauritzen
     3. Nancy Lauritzen
     4. Kathryn Lauritzen
    Last Modified 21 Sep 2013 
    Family ID F13010  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Obituary, The Repository, May 6, 2008

      Dean Geltzer Lauritzen, age 83, died May 3, 2008 in Bonita Springs, Florida, in the company of his loving wife and children. Born in Columbus, Ohio on March 29, 1925, Dean moved to Canton when his father, Hans Peter, a founding partner of McDonald and Company, opened an office of the investment firm in Canton. Dean graduated from McKinley High School in 1942, where he was Press Club Treasurer as a freshman, Editor-in-Chief his sophomore year, and was on the varsity golf and swim teams his junior and senior years. His yearbook states: "He dances, he laughs, and that isn't half. He brightens our hall and that isn't all." After graduation, Dean joined the Navy, attending the University of Virginia and its rigorous and selective V-12 officer training program. At the time of his honorable discharge in 1945, he achieved the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He began his career at McDonald and Co. Securities in Canton, Ohio in 1950. As a Managing Director of the firm, he served on the Board of Directors for both McDonald and Co. Securities and McDonald and Co. Investments. He received the C. Bert McDonald award for Outstanding Achievement in May 1992. In 2005, Dean resigned from McDonald, which had been acquired in 1999 by Key Bank, and joined the investment firm of Stifel Nicolaus to open its Canton office with David Cornet. He was named a member of the Chairman's Council in 2006 by Stifel Nicolaus for his outstanding achievements. Dean loved his business and his relationships with his customers and business associates. He believed that intelligence, luck, and integrity were the three main components of his success, along with the valued support of his business associates, particularly Virginia Stryffeler, Natalie Dailey, Beverly Keefe and his partner, David Cornet. He was a voracious reader and, to his last days, a diligent student of the ever-changing world of investing. Such was his dedication to his clients. He never retired and was an active member of this business community until his death. Dean not only believed he had a duty to help his community, but truly enjoyed the work he did for it. He loved Canton, and chose to stay when offered a position in, what was considered at the time, Cleveland's greener pastures. Three of his favorite organizations were the Canton Student Loan Foundation, the Stark Community Foundation and the Cultural Center for the Arts. Dean was Trustee for the Cultural Center from 1977 to 1996 and, later, Trustee Emeritus. In 1981 he became President of the Board of Trustees and was instrumental in establishing the Canton Ballet Company at the Cultural Center. He created the Center's Endowment Committee with money donated by the Timken Family. At one time, Dean and Jack Timken co-chaired the drive for the "Fund for the Arts," raising a quarter of a million dollars. Dorie Owens, the Foundation's former business manager, said "Dean's greatest legacy was the Endowment Committee. Without (it), there would not have been a Cultural Center for the Arts". Dean joined the Board of the Canton Student Loan Foundation in 1967 and served for 30 years. Upon retirement, he was bestowed the honor of Trustee Emeritus. He served as President, Vice President and Membership Committee Chairman. During his tenure as Membership Committee Chairman, he was instrumental in tripling the Foundation assets with the goal of providing more loans to more students. In a released statement, the Foundation noted that "Dean had a genuine affection for the borrowers, and his concern and compassion for them, and his interest in and desire to support their goals and achievements was evidenced by his many valuable contributions to the Foundation." Dean was also the founding chairman of the Stark Community Foundation's Investment Review Committee, which he established in 1985. His guidance and judgment werHis guidance and judgment were important to the foundation's asset growth and he encouraged many people to establish charitable legacies there, as he and Jane had done. Dean became Chairman Emeritus several years ago and continued to share his expertise while also serving on the Development Committee. Starting in 1952, Dean worked his way up through the United Fund of Central Stark County, (the predecessor of the United Way) serving as General Chairman in 1964. He also served as a member of the Board of Trustees, a member of the Budget Committee and a member of the Capital Campaign Committee. Dean's other two passions in life were his family and his sports. In his younger days, he enjoyed handball, racquetball and tennis, but golf was his great love. Over the years he was a member of Pine Valley Golf Club, Brookside Country Club, Firestone Country Club, and the Bonita Bay Club. If you needed to speak to him on Wednesday, it was key to call before his noon tee-time. He was a competitive and honest golfer who enjoyed playing with his friends for many years. Somehow he always had plenty of time for his children, finding opportunities for new and diverse activities, whether it was hot air ballooning, wind surfing, motor biking and, of course, golf ? but he also made time to simply discuss career and family with his children. Dean was what a father should be: Self-assured, successful, humorous, kind and obviously adoring of his daughters. He adored his wife as well, and traveled extensively with her. For all their years of marriage ? to their children's pride and bemusement ? Dean and Jane never, never ran out of interesting things to say to each other. Dean was strong in his convictions but respectful of other peoples' points of view. He could always see the other side of the coin. He had a generosity of spirit toward everyone. He had a keen, yet practical mind, with an interest in seeking out all of his options. He was curious about everything and always enjoyed talking to friends and strangers about their lives. He was an optimist and always had a twinkle in his eye. And, yes, he loved to write poetry. He will be sorely missed. He truly appreciated the prayers and words of encouragement expressed in so many ways by his friends during the last year. They lifted his spirits. He treasured his friendships. He appreciated the care of the physicians and staff of the Cleveland Clinic, his physicians in Canton and Bonita Springs, and the Hope Hospice of Bonita Springs, Florida. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Jane Greer Lauritzen and their four daughters and their families: Kristine and Steven Fellows and their children, Nicholas, Spencer and Alexander, of Canton, Ohio; Karen and Don Woodard and their son, Jackson, of Thousand Oaks, California; Nancy and Richard Cooper and their children, Jake, Samantha and Charlotte, of Rye, New York; Kathryn and Adrian Alday and their children, Skylar and Sienna, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law John and Judy Lauritzen of North Canton, Ohio; his sisters-in law Kathleen Greer and Nancy Greer of Magnolia, Ohio, and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by parents, Hans Peter (Larry) and Helen Lauritzen; his brother, Scott A. Lauritzen; his granddaughter, Caitlin Fellows; and brothers-in-law John and David Greer.The family will be receiving friends at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church (226 Third Street in Massillon) on Saturday May 10 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. The memorial service will be held there as well, on Monday, May 12 at 10:00 am. The Reverend Henry G. Harris will be officiating. The family hopes that remembrances might benefit the community through contributions to The Cultural Center for the Arts (Artsinstark, P.O. Box 21190, Canton, Ohio 44701), the Canton Student Loan Foundation (4974 Higbee Ave. N.W., Atrium, OH.

  • Sources 
    1. [S574] Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016.


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