Danny Lang Sr.

He is preceded in death by his father Harry Stuart Lang, Sr.; mother, Gladys Orena Lang; and older brother, Harry Stuart Lang, Jr. He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Delores Lang; son Danny Lang, Jr. and the love of his life, Brenda Hollis, granddaughters, Lori & Grace Lang; nephew, H. Stuart Lang, III, all of Houston; and goddaughter, Susan Statton McRoberts, and her son Chase, and daughter Lauren, of Corpus Christi and his faithful Schnauzer, Topper.

Born in Dallas Texas, his family moved to Houston at the age of six months Danny was the younger of two sons and graduated from Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture. At the onset of World War II, at the age of 17, Danny enlisted into the United States Navy and was selected to attend Beach Battalion School at the Amphibious Training Base in Oceanside California. Upon completion of his training, he was assigned to Beach Battalion B. He was then selected to join the newest branch of the Navy, the Underwater Demolition team (UDT), known today as The Navy Seals. After WWII Danny returned to Houston to join his father and older brother in the family business, Mechanics Uniform and Supply Company, which was the first laundry and dry cleaners in Houston. During the ensuing years Danny formed Danny M Lang & Associates a commercial and industrial real estate firm in Houston.

Danny had numerous passions in life but none were as important to him as his volunteering for the Houston Fat Stock Show (now the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo) in 1948 and joined the Membership Committee. He was elected to the Board of Director’s in 1965 and served on Commercial Exhibits, Security, helped start the Trail Ride Committee - then only consisting of Danny, W.M. “Billy” Mitchell, Bob LeMond, W.F. “Butch” Robichaux and Ed Findley, was one of the first 4 Corral Club Members, served on the Lamb & Steer Auction and Men’s Souvenir Program Committees. He was also a founding Member of the Salt Grass Trail Ride. He remained active on the Membership Committee until 1973, when he was elected as Vice President of the rodeo. In 1974, while Vice President and as Officer in Charge of the Area Go Texan Committee Danny, along with Leroy Gloger, Joe Polichino Sr, Jim Archer and then Rodeo President Tommie Vaughn started an Area Go Texan Cook-off, which was held the weekend before the Houston Rodeo in the Astrodome parking lot. Six original teams were present the first year and by year two the Area Go Texan Cook-Off had tripled in size. In the third year, because of its success, a new committee was formed and named the Word’s Championship Bar-B-Que Committee, with a new Officer in Charge Bill Bailey, and the rest is history.

In 1950, Danny joined the Houston Polo and Riding Association and was a member of the El Lago Polo Team which played every Sunday on North Post Oak Road, north of Woodway. His love of cutting horses also began during this time & he enjoyed both of the sports for many years.

In 1957, Danny was elected as a Founding Director of the Harris County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse and started his career as a Reserve Detective with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department. He served citizens of Harris County for over 30 years.

After leaving the Harris County Sheriff’s Department, Danny joined the Austin County Sheriff’s Department in 1979 as a full time Investigator. He left Austin County Sheriff’s Department in 1996, having obtained the rank of Major, was Chief Criminal Investigator, and had obtained the certification of Master Peace Officer from the State of Texas.

Danny was a Charter Member of the Houston Farm & Ranch Club and was elected President in 1972. During his Presidency, he and Dave Morris negotiated a lease with Harris County and the US Army Corp of Engineers for the property on State Highway 6 North, where Farm & Ranch remains today.

Danny was also involved with the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show and The Bill Williams Capon Dinner where he served both as a Director. He was a Member of the Tejas Vaqueros from 1971-1977. He was a Charter Member of the United States Marshal’s Silver Mounted Posse in Los Angeles California. He was an avid golfer all his life.

In 1983, Danny was hired as National Sales Director for the Edward H. Bohlin Company in Burbank California. From 1986-1988 he was a Member of The Edward H. Bohlin Celebrity Equestrian Team, which included members Clayton Moore (The Lone Ranger), Steve Kanaly, Tony Dow, Alex Cord, James Drury, Steven Ford and his son Danny Lang Jr. The group participated in the Tournament of Roses Parades & the Hollywood Christmas Parades during those years.

In 1991, Danny along with his son founded Lang Investigations, Inc. and was Chief Operating Officer and Manager until his death.

Danny’s family would like to thank doctors Roger Shultz, Charles Caplan and Don Gibson, and the nursing staff of Memorial Hermann at Memorial City Hospital in the Medical ICU and the staff of Vitas Hospice in Hermann Memorial.

Honored to serve as casket bearers are V.J. “Bubba” Brzozowski, Dee Campbell, Barney Hedrick, Joel D. “Jody” Johnson, Dr Gary Look, W.F. “Butch” Robichaux and John Williams.

Serving as honorary casket bearers are G.M. “Bubba” Becker, Robert Becker, Mike Burdette, J.C. Burnam, James Cordell, Freeman Dunn, Ronnie Eubanks, Gary Finkleman, Brian Fowler, Greg Gerhart, Ray Graham, Lee Greenwood, Larry Hagman, Frank P. Horlock, Jr, Trevor (T.C.) Jones, Robert Kirkgard, Robert Kranzke, W.A. “Sonny” Lewis, Bill Lyons, Larry Mahan, Fred Mcgee, John Mecom, Jr, Mark Miller, J. Arthur Moncrief, Louis M. Pearce, Jr, Henry Potter, Jack Rains, Peter R. Ruman, Hugh Ruthven, James D. Sartwelle, Leroy Schafer, Lodie Stapleton, Tommy Thomas, Charles Wedemeyer and Hank Wenzler.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until eight o’clock in the evening on Tuesday, the 29th of May in the Library and Grand Foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A celebration of Danny’s life is to be conducted at one o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday, the 30th of May, in the Hankamer Chapel of Second Baptist Church, 6400 Woodway Drive in Houston, where the Rev. David Dixon and the Rev. Jerry Towne are to co-officiate.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the nearby Deacon’s Parlor.

Prior to the memorial service, the family will have gathered for a private interment at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed in Danny’s name to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, School of Art Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 20070, Houston, TX, 77225.