Benjamin Davis Lange

Thursday, June 23, 2022 10:25 pm

Benjamin Davis Lange, age 81, of rural Decorah, died on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022 at his home.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2022 starting at 1 p.m. at the North Winneshiek School, 3495 North Winn Road, Decorah, IA 52101. There will be a meal following the service.

“And one man in his time plays many parts…”

(Benjamin) Davis Lange (March 3, 1940 – January 28, 2022) was truly an amazing man. He played many parts, including aviator, teacher, farmer, resort owner, Iowa DNR Park Officer, carpenter, and proud family man. On Jan. 28, 2022 he lost his three and ½ year battle with cancer.

Davis’s amazing work ethic, drive, intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, curiosity, creativity, compassion, wit, sense of humor, willingness to help, and love for friends and family had an impact on all who knew him. Davis graduated near the top of his class at Decorah High School. He grew up farming on the Lange farm near Bluffton that his great, great grandfather established before the Civil War. One of Davis’s proudest accomplishments was his commercial pilot’s license, which he kept current until his death. He was also an instructor of airplane mechanics and flight school.

He spent several years with his young family as an Iowa State Park Officer in Lake McBride, Walnut Woods, and Lake Anita State Parks. While Davis and his family owned and operated Velvet Beach Resort in the 1970’s near Brainerd, Minn., he helped invent and patent a freeze dry machine with a Lithuanian taxidermist. He earned an airframe and powerplant (A & P) airplane mechanics license and moved to Wichita to work for Boeing and Cessna.

In 1980 the family moved to the Twin Cities where Davis was one of the main mechanics at the Anoka County Airport. During that time, Davis earned a teaching license and went on to teach aviation mechanics at the Minneapolis Technical College and trained many of the mechanics at the old Northwest Airlines, as well as others.

At the end of the 1980s, his wife Susan and he purchased a run-down resort on Bay Lake in Deerwood, Minn. With the help of his family and friends, he remodeled 15 cabins, built a swimming pool, and turned Hunters Bay Resort into a thriving business. He returned to his beloved Lange family farm in 2002. 

Davis was very generous. He raised fruits and vegetables in his huge gardens that he shared with everyone he knew. He also planted an apple orchard including exotic varieties of apples. He researched and nurtured his orchard until it produced bushels of delicious apples, that again, he shared with everyone he knew. Davis was very creative. He made candles and was gifted at woodworking. He started a candle making business. Some of Davis’s passions were deer hunting, cutting wood, planting trees, fishing, and using electronic technologies. Davis hunted deer on the family farm for more than 70 years with some of his closest friends and family.

In 1958 Davis married his high school sweetheart, Susan Ahern, his wife of 63 years. They had four children, 12 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

is survived by his wife: Susan (Ahern) Lange; children: Laurie Lange-Gill of Deerwood, Minn., Dan (Torie) Lange of Edina, Minn., Tim (Linda) Lange, Sioux Falls, SD; and Ben (Kim) Lange of Decorah; siblings: Lowell (Shirley) Lange of Hampton, Ardell (Curt) Stoops of Bella Vista, AR, Jane Lange of Decorah, and Sally Lange of Decorah; grandchildren: Shannon (Brian) Mehr; Morgan (Mitch) Bartlett; Michael Lange; Rebecca Kallio; Matthew (Kelly) Lange; Adam (Angela) Lange; Kristina Kallio; Eric Peterson; James (Hannah) Lange; Penny (Sean) Kroska; Billy Lange; Maria Lange; Paige Lange; many great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by parents: William A. Lange and Pauline (Manning) Lange of Decorah.

“Good night , sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”