Eric Lutz and Donna Dancause Lutz
Services will be held from Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 409 Cherry Street, Columbia, PA 17512 on Thursday, August 20, 2026, promptly at 11:00 a.m.
There will be no viewing or visitation prior to the church services. However, the family will receive friends from the Clyde W. Kraft Funeral Home, Inc., 519 Walnut Street, Columbia, PA 17512 on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Private internment will be held at the convenience of the family.
With profound sadness we announce the passing of Eric Lutz (age 74) and Donna Dancause Lutz (age 71) on August 9, 2026. Both were lifelong residents of Columbia, PA.
Eric and Donna shared 52 wonderful years of marriage and together raised 3 beautiful children. After many years of service, Eric retired from the United States Postal Service and Donna from her career as an LPN at Saint Anne’s nursing home. Many days, Donna and Eric would find themselves surrounded by family at their riverside cottages along the Susquehanna or creating memories with their grandchildren. They were avid fans of Columbia basketball and were deeply connected to the Columbia community.
Eric had a deep love of the outdoors and of sharing those spaces with others. A hiking enthusiast and devotee of sleeping in a hammock, he completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine in 2016 which he could not have done without the support of Donna. He never went without a rope and Ka-Bar knife, because you never knew when you’d need to chop firewood or self-belay an icy pass. Eric was a passionate lover of music and in recent years had taken to giving albums from his collection to his grandchildren, passing along a piece of what he loved. He was also a talented photographer, documenting nature as well as his grandchildren’s endeavors because as he would say, “he was born to be a pappy”.
Donna would drop everything for her grandchildren. She never missed a sports game, recital, or performance, even if it meant driving through the middle of the night to get there. Her needlepoint told the story of the family itself: Christmas ornaments she made when her own children were young, baby blankets stitched for each of her grandchildren, and this year, new pieces she had begun for her granddaughters. She loved nothing more than a full day at the beach with a book in hand, going through paperbacks by the stack. She was also a gifted cook and never turned down a good Bloody Mary. Together, Eric and Donna hosted countless family dinners and cherished having their home filled with their children and grandchildren.
They are survived by their three children, Melissa Bierd (Keith) of Sterling, Va, Jessica Reidenbach (Chris) of Columbia and Jason Lutz (Becky) of Mountville, as well as their six grandchildren, Haylee & Harper Bierd, Will & Jace Reidenbach, and Danielle & Noah Lutz. Eric is survived by his siblings, Kevin E. (Gab) Lutz (Deb), Kent K. Lutz (Barb), Beth L. (Boo) Musser (Rick) and Marnell (Marnie) Olsen (Kristopher) and was preceded in death by his parents Robert (Beanie) Lutz and Marnell Lutz as well as a brother, Robert (Apps). Donna is survived by her siblings, Kimberly Kuntz, Christine Lowry (David) and Jim Dancause (Ruth Ann) and was preceded in death by her parents Donald Dancause and Carolyn (Jean) Dancause.
Our deepest gratitude to all who rendered care to Eric and Donna.
Services will be held from Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 409 Cherry Street, Columbia, PA 17512 on Thursday, August 20, 2026, promptly at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Mark Wilke, Officiating. There will be no viewing or visitation prior to the church services. However, the family will receive friends from the Clyde W. Kraft Funeral Home, Inc., 519 Walnut Street, Columbia, PA 17512 on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Private internment will be held at the convenience of the family.
To honor Donna and Eric’s lifelong love of animals, the family welcomes memorial donations to Lancaster SPCA in lieu of flowers.
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