The Best Man - Stories about Ted Luntz

In October 2012, Ted’s family asked me to do a eulogy for Theodore Michael Luntz.  Ted was a great and generous Clevelander.  For those who knew him and for those who weren’t fortunate enough to know him, below is my eulogy for this influential and important individual. 

If you read to the end, you’ll understand the title of this piece.

Ted and I visited often in his last few years and he told me many of these stories.  My thought is he wanted me to pass them along. 

Ted’s family was originally from the Canton area.  In Canton, Ted’s  father played football against Jim Thorpe.  When I asked  Ted how his father reacted, when Jim Thorpe had the ball, he said his father ran the other way.  Probably a wise decision. 

Ted graduated from University School with honors and went to Yale University.  At Yale he tried out for the baseball team and this is where he first met George HW Bush.  They wanted Ted  to play however he decided not to play as he didn’t like 90 mph fastballs passing by his head. 

A few years after graduation he was drafted and sent to Fort Bragg.  Ted was to be shipped to Korea and at a seminar for incoming troops he heard Major Levi  Jackson  give a speech.  Levi was an All American Football player from Yale. Ted spoke to him afterward said he attended Yale and enjoyed watching Levi play.  Levi asked Ted what he was doing and Ted said he was scheduled to go to Korea.  Levi said a Yaley should not go to Korea and took Ted to Germany with him.  Ted credited Levi with saving his life. 

It was in the army at Fort Bragg North Carolina, where my father met and became life long friends with Ted and his family.  Ted was in the 503^rd MP and if you don’t know anything about the Military Police, they are both feared and respected.  Ted played bridge with my father and Jim Klonoski.  They were the 3 musketeers and they have all now passed on.     

We all understand Ted was successful in business and  was the CEO of the Luntz Corporation.  The Luntz Corporation was founded in the Canton, Ohio area in 1898. He was also CEO of the related Marquette Steel in Cleveland.  A couple of quick stories help one to understand the quality work Ted and the Luntz Corporation performed.   

My uncle’s  father was the salvage manager for the Lake Erie / Wheeling railroad.  If there was a derailment they always called the Luntz Corporation.  The reason they used them was if the Luntz Corporation picked up a derailed car, the railroad knew they would have the check the next day.  When I told Ted this story, he laughed and agreed.  

A year or two ago, I spoke to a friend who owns a large manufacturing company and asked him if he knew Ted.  He said at the time everyone in the scrap business was price fixing and shorting companies.  He said Ted came in and was a class act.  He said Ted was a professional and honest and you could tell he enjoyed working with Ted .  He then asked “is Ted still in business?”

While Ted was CEO they salvaged 3 of the large great lakes ships, the Princeton, Harvard and something else.  One of the ships sank(the Harvard)  as they towed it to the scrap yard area and they had to raise it. 

My father helped in Ted’s decision to be on the board of Baldwin Wallace University.  Ted was on the board for 30 years and was a great assistance to them.  They honored Ted with a doctorial degree.  Ted also sat on the boards of University School, Cathedral Latin School, Cleveland College of Jewish Studies and Hawken School. Later my father re-introduced Ted to George Bush Sr.  and they became close friends.    George HW Bush wrote letters to Ted and credited Ted for the idea of being Ronald Reagan’s VP before running for President. 

Ted said he never had a speeding ticket as he thought it was a privilege to drive.  (one of his children later told me this may not have been the case)

Ted enjoyed playing piano every day and his mother was a concern pianist.  He was an avid art collector.  He donated art to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Kent State, University school and others  He enjoyed skiing and skied until he was 83.   In the summers he enjoyed sailing and in the 1960’s he was the top sailor for 5 years at the Mentor Harbor Yachting Club.  He enjoyed each and every season. 

In the last few years, Ted would ask, “having any fun”, or “making any money”.  Ted was an intense individual and you had to be on your toes when you spoke with him.  He also enjoyed challenging people to be better and to work harder.   Whether it was providing scholarships for students or just challenging someone to be better.   He enjoyed others doing their best.    

In the last year or two while visiting Ted at the nursing home and someone asked how I knew Ted.  I told them Ted had been my father’s best man, but then I realized this did not fully explain my sediments toward Ted, so I followed up, ‘Ted was my father’s best man and I understood why my father choose him, as he is quite simply the best man I’ve ever known’. 

Ted and my love and respect for each other was real and deep.  One fun story which needs to be shared is when late one evening around 11pm, Ted called.  he asked me what I was doing and my response was trying to sleep.  when I asked why he called, he asked if I could pick him up.  Naturally I agreed to do so and then I asked where was he and his response was a classic line...

"I don't know...".  needless to say it was a long night and I went to visit him the next day.  Ted had been placed in a nursing home and his surroundings were unfamiliar to him.  he did over time become comfortable there.  Sadly I have lost contact with Ted's family

The attached photograph was taken in April 2011.  Ted passed in October 2012