Henry Clay Lentz, III

FLORENCE - Henry Clay Lentz, III, 87, loving husband of Margaret Parker Lentz (Peggy), died peacefully on March 23, 2014.

Born February 19, 1927, in Salisbury, NC, Mr. Lentz was the son of the late Henry Clay Lentz, Jr. and Alice Virginia Benson Lentz.

Mr. Lentz’s children are Thomas Neil Lentz (Alice Boggs Lentz) of Hickory, NC; Clay Parker Lentz (Annie W. Lentz) of Myrtle Beach, SC; and Henry Carroll Lentz of Florence, SC (former daughter-in-law Cynthia Deberry Lentz). His grandchildren are Christopher Henry Lentz, Sarah Adair Lentz, Margaret Alice Lentz, Clay Parker Lentz, Jr., Marcus Alexander Lentz, Patterson Carroll Lentz, Bryson Allan Lentz, and Connor Alexander Lentz.

Mr. Lentz served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and graduated from Catawba College with a B.A. in Accounting in 1949. After graduation he joined the National Fire Insurance Company of Hartford as the agent supervising business in SC from 1949 – 51 when he joined the insurance department of the American Commercial Bank of Charlotte, predecessor of NCNB and Bank of America. After eight years in Charlotte, he joined Aiken & Co. in 1959 as the assistant manager of the insurance department. He advanced with Aiken & Co. and was named president in 1979.

Mr. Lentz loved the insurance industry and served two terms as president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Florence. He also served fifteen years on the board of directors as treasurer of the IIA of SC and was on the national membership committee for the Independent Insurance Agents of America. From 1998-2000 he was on the Board of Governors of the SC Medical Malpractice Patients’ Compensation Fund. Through his service, he and his wife made wonderful friends and enjoyed meetings throughout the country and Europe.

He was a longtime member of Central United Methodist Church and a charter member of Providence Road Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC. He was named Key Man as a member of the Charlotte Junior Chamber of Commerce and was also active in the Florence Kiwanis where he was a Key Club sponsor.

Memorial services will be held on Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at 3:00 pm at Central United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Will Malambri and the Rev. Josh Blackwelder. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in the church Commons Area. Waters-Powell Funeral Home is assisting the family of Mr. Lentz.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Central Methodist Church, 265 W. Cheves St., Florence, SC 29501 or Shriners Hospital for Children, 950 West Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605.

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