Alfred Otto Lanza passed away at Ashlar in Newtown, CT. on January 21, 2007. He was the husband of the late Florence "Bertie" Lanza. The son of Otto and Vincenzina Lanza, Al was born in Cleveland, Ohio on August 28, 1923. Al attended Case Western Reserve University before enlisting in the Marine Corps at the outbreak of WWII. He received a battlefield commission while serving in the Pacific theater as a military cartographer. He participated at Boganville, Tarawa, the invasion of the Salomon Islands and Guadalcanal. Al was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Silver Star. Following the war, he served in San Francisco, Calif. as military attaché© to Edward Stettinius during the founding of the United Nations. It was during this time that he was a military advisor for the movie Guadalcanal Diary.

Al went on to become an artistic director and officer for a number of Federated Department Store affiliates: the Higbee Company in Cleveland, OH. John Wanamaker's in Philadelphia, PA and Woodword & Lothrup in Washington, DC. He later operated a retail fixture design business in New York City, NY.

Al retired to Las Vegas, NV from Stamford, CT. in 1993. He and his wife of 60 years, Bertie, returned to Connecticut in 2003, settling in Heritage Village, Southbury. Most recently Al resided at Lockwood Lodge in Newtown, CT.

Al leaves two sons Thomas of Southbury, CT., Jack of Washington, DC, a daughter Patricia of Santa Monica, CA, a brother Frank of Cleveland, OH, a sister Rosalie Jasinski of Dallas, TX, three granddaughters; Melissa Hudspeth of Oakdale, CT, Jennifer Lanza Townsend of Greensboro, NC, Amy Tucker of North Kingstown, RI, and five great grandchildren. Al is also survived by his aunt, Frances Kershaw of Lockwood Lodge.

Memorials: Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the building fund of St. Rose of Lima, Church Hill Road, Newtown, CT 06470

Location: Munson-Lovetere Southbury

Services: funeral mass at Saint Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, CT, Saturday, January 27 at 1 pm.

Visitation: Visiting hours will be held Saturday January 27, 2007 from 11 am until 12: 30 pm at the Munson Lovetere Funeral Home at 235 Main Street North, Southbury, CT