Calvin Langford

Calvin Raymond Langford, 76, of Lansing died Thursday, October 29, 2015 at Gundersen Lutheran Health Systems, La Crosse, WI surrounded by his family.
Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 14, 2015 at Norway Lutheran Church, located at 18829 200th Street, St. Olaf. Rev. Marshall Hahn will be the officiant. Burial will be in Norway Lutheran Church Cemetery. A time of food and fellowship will be held in the church community hall after the funeral ceremony. All are welcome to join.
Visitation will be held Friday, November 13 from 4-7 p.m. at Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Lansing and one hour before the services at the church Saturday.
Cal was born in Chicago, IL September 22, 1939, the first child of Ray (Samuel) and Vera (Johnson) Langford. Cal graduated from Lindblom High School in 1957, lettered in gymnastics and competed in the State Tournament. After high school Cal pursued an interest in machining at Western Electric and that led to a position as a Tool and Die Apprentice at Lars Tool in Chicago, IL. Cal expanded his knowledge and further developed his manufacturing career excelling in different levels of responsibility and industries.
In 1977, Cal accepted a sales executive position at Tower Oil and Technology and began to exercise the entrepreneur within him. Using his strong will, refusal to quit, common sense and extensive manufacturing and metals fabricating knowledge, he developed hundreds of clients for the company using his broad knowledge of manufacturing processes and practices and applied Tower products to solve problems forming successful, mutually beneficial relationships. As a perennial leading sales executive at the company, Cal worked at Tower Oil and Technology until his retirement December 31, 2014.
Cal enjoyed his German Shorthaired Pointers and upland game hunting with friends and his sons. Cal also enjoyed coaching Pony League baseball for his sons' teams in Glenview, IL from 1973-1976. Cal had a passion for skiing and was an avid skier and Heli-Skier and skied all over the U.S. and Canada.
Cal married Ann Kirchmeyer in 1974 and lived in Park Ridge, IL. Cal and Ann moved from Park Ridge, IL to Lansing January 1, 2004 to fulfill a mutual dream of leaving the big city for a quiet, relaxed way of life.
Those grateful for sharing Cal’s life are his wife, Ann (Kirchmeyer); his children, Michael Langford, Richard (Susan) Langford, Lori (Norm) Sharp and Melissa (Jon) Mueller; his grandchildren, Rachel (Ryan) Leurck, Samuel Langford, Brittany Tarpey, Jake Langford, Christian Mueller,  Austin Mueller and Amanda Langford; and his great-grandchildren, Ethan Leurck, Emma Leurck, Robert Leurck and Mark Leurck. Cal was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Herbert C. Langford.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Cal’s honor may be directed to the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center and tax deductible donations may be sent to: John Verdon, Campaign Co-Chair, Allamakee County Conservation Foundation, P.O. Box 278, Harpers Ferry, IA 52146; Memo: Beyond the Plateau/Cal Langford.
Condolences may be left at www.graufuneralhomes.com. Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Lansing is assisting the family with arrangements.