Hank Lachmiller

Mankato Mortuary
1001 N. Riverfront Drive
Mankato, MN 56001
507-388-2202

Henry Walter Lachmiller, 94, of Lake Crystal, Minnesota, passed away on October 20, 2012 at home surrounded by his loving family.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 am, Saturday, October 27, 2012 at St John's Lutheran Church in Rapidan. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery in Rapidan. A lunch reception will be held at the church immediately following the service. Mankato Mortuary assisted the family with arrangements.

Hank was born September 8, 1918 in Webster City, Iowa, to Henry and Olga (Becker) Lachmiller. He was the 2nd youngest of 5 siblings. On, September 4, 1938, Hank married the love of his life Ethel Hintz, whom he had known since she was in the third grade.

Hank served in the US Army in 1944, during World War II. He was a farmer, a machinist as well as an inventor. He moved to California to start his machine shop business in 1941. He was an avid sportsman as well and was the inventor of the Lachmiller Rapid Shotgun Reloader.

Hank is survived by his daughter, Tammy van der Valk; son -in-law, Bob van der Valk from Terry, Montana; brother, Ray Lachmiller; along with seven grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, along with numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Henry was preceded in death by his wife, Ethel Lachmiller, his son, Raphael Lachmiller and his sisters, Elsa Olsen, Lorna Phillips and Dorothy Engle.