Lance Brandon Gantenbein's mortal soul entered eternity on Sunday, February 26th 2023, on the 6th floor of the University of Kansas Intensive Care Transplant Unit after a 12 day fight to save his life ended. Lance’s doctors and specialists said it would take a miracle to save his life. Our miracle came on Friday morning when Lance woke up and was able to communicate by nodding yes and no to questions, and squeezing our hands when asked to. This allowed a 36 hour window so family and friends could say their final goodbyes which we know Lance was grateful.
Life began for Lance on April 13, 1987, being born 10 minutes after arriving at the Salina Regional Hospital. Just like Lance to give us an early arrival and a much too early exit. Lance’s philosophy, much like his favorite comedian, George Carlin, was always leave early when your audience wants more. He certainly did that.
Lance’s passion for life could be seen through the things he loved which, aside from family and friends, included Lawrence, Kansas. He jokingly called it his town and said someday he would be the mayor to which his dad said why stop there.
When it came to sports, Lance cheered for the Kansas City Chiefs, the Atlanta Braves, and KU basketball. He loved his first dog, a black lab named Pepper and later his beloved daschunds, Duke and Macy. Lance enjoyed golfing, hunting, and fishing, as well as old movies, classic sitcoms, and of course Pink Floyd. He often said “if you're not going to listen to ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ from start to finish then not to bother putting it on the turntable.”
Lance had an opinion on every subject and was willing to debate at anytime. He’d listen to your side, tell you you’re wrong, and get back to his agenda.
Just like so many of us, searching for our own questions about life, we hope that Lance has found his answers. He believed that if we all worked as hard to get along, as we do to divide and destroy countries, political parties, races, and religions, the world would be so much better off.
Lance had a heart of gold and if he was your friend, you had a friend for life. He loved to help people more than anything and confessed to a dear friend in a text message that in his final minutes, he’ll wished he had helped more people. By donating his 35 year old heart to a recipient in need, his wish will come true.
May we all pay it forward for Lance, while we still have a chance. Have faith and hope that it will do as much for you as it will for the person you’re helping.
Lance is survived by his parents, Gary and Melinda, of Hope, his sister, Brandi, of Abilene, Aunt Kayla and Uncle Dave Ascher, cousins Michael (Nicole) all of Salina, and Julie (Miron), Kansas City. He was preceded in death by all four grandparents Dale and Fern Gantenbein, and Melvin and Dora Brown.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the KU Medical Center – Organ Transplant Care. The family has chosen cremation. A Memorial Services will be 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 6, 2023 at the Hope United Methodist Church.