William Charles Lortz

William Charles Lortz, 79, of Sheldon, South Carolina, passed away at home on December 21. Born on January, 27, 1937, in St. Louis, Missouri, Bill lived his life in St. Louis, Atlanta, and at his beloved home on Brays Island, South Carolina, with his wife and family where he embraced the beautiful splendor of the Low Country. Bill attended St. Louis Country Day School and Vanderbilt University. He proudly served in the United States Marine Corps. Bill was a strong, giving, and graceful gentleman who loved his 35 years with Enterprise Rent-a-Car before fully retiring in 1997. In his spare time he enjoyed golf, traveling, hunting, fly fishing, reading, and spending time with family, friends, and his adored dogs. He served on many charitable boards—Bill was active in the Boy Scouts of America as an adult leader; he was president of Cherokee Town and Country Club in Atlanta, GA; and was chairman of the board of Brays Island Plantation. He was a devoted and doting husband to Helene “Lainey" Stehlin Lortz and an extremely loving and proud father to his two children, Michael Lortz and Jennifer Lortz, both of Atlanta, GA. He took extreme delight in being the grandfather of Jake Lortz. He is preceded in death by his parents, Russell and Virginia Lortz. He is survived by his wife and children; his daughter-in-law, Susan Lortz; his grandson; his sister, Ann Brightman (John) of St. Louis, MO; and by 4 nieces and nephews. Friends are invited to join the family at a memorial service to be held on Saturday, January 28, 2017, the weekend of his 80th birthday, at 3:00 p.m. ET, at the Brays Island Plantation Inn in Sheldon, SC. Bow ties are requested.

In lieu of flowers, the family has designated the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC Foundation, Fund for Hollings Cancer Center, 18 Bee Street, MSC 450, Charleston, SC 29425), Tidewater Hospice (Tidewater Foundation, 10 Buckingham Plantation Drive, Suite A, Bluffton, SC 29910), and Nemours Wildlife Foundation (161 Nemours Plantation Road, Yemassee, SC 29945) for memorial gifts.

“In this life we cannot do great things, we can only do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa