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Stephen Gantz passed away peacefully on January 18, 2006 at his home in Albuquerque, NM, at the age of 79, surrounded by his family. He was born in Los Angeles, CA on April 26, 1926 to Solomon and Sara Albert Gantz. Stephen served his country as a combat infantryman in World War II. He participated in the campaign to liberate the Philippine Islands and was awarded the Philippine Liberation Medal with two Bronze Stars and the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, among others. When he returned from the war, he earned a B.S. in engineering at the University of California, Berkeley and later a M.S. at Santa Clara University. While he worked as an aerospace engineer in Southern California, he was involved in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs. He said it was the best place and time to be an engineer. Stephen is survived by his beloved wife, Wilma; his sister, Beverly Wolfe of San Mateo, CA; his son, Clayton and his wife, Celeste of Moss Beach, CA; and Wilma's daughters and their husbands, Judy and Bob Mennonna and Karen and Carl Smith; three grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and a loving extended family. Stephen and Wilma lived in California, Texas, and New Mexico, but New Mexico, where they retired in 1994, was always home. Stephen loved to hike and bike and always wanted to stay active. He loved Indian and Hispanic art, food, and culture and pursued his interests in anthropology, paleontology, and archeology by volunteering in the NM Natural History Museum and the Maxwell Museum. He also found a wonderful sense of community through Covenant Presbyterian Church, 9315 Candelaria, NE, where a Service of Thanksgiving for Stephen's life will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2006 at 3 p.m. Memorial gifts may be made to NM Cancer Center Foundation at 4901 Lang NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109 or to your favorite charity.
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