Terry Malcom Lentz Sr.

CARBONDALE, IL — Terry Malcolm Lentz Sr., 85, of Carbondale, IL, passed away Tuesday, January 7, 2026, at Missouri Baptist Medical Center in St. Louis, MO.

Terry was born November 17, 1940, in Mounds, IL (Pulaski County) to George Malcolm and Lista Elizabeth (Gardner) Lentz. As a young child, he lived in Germany for three years with his father and mother after World War II. Terry attended college in Cape Girardeau, MO, before graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a degree in electrical engineering.

Terry's engineering career spanned decades and continents. He began at Western Electric in Kansas City, MO, working on thermistors and silicon diodes for reed switch lines in microwave telephone relay towers. He later contributed to solid-state broadcast radio console design at Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids, IA, and spent seven years at Sylvania (GTE) Electric in positions across Burlington, IA; Emporium, PA; and Boston, MA. As an Application Engineer at Cogar Corp, he worked with one of the first ever read-only memory chips.

In Southern Illinois, Terry worked at Burkart Randall (Textron) in Cairo and held positions in DuQuoin at Phelps Dodge, CABLEC, and BICC Cables. His career with Phelps Dodge would eventually span three locations: DuQuoin, IL; Bangkok, Thailand; and Fort Wayne, IN. In Thailand, where he and Elaine lived for over six years, Terry served as Project Development Manager, overseeing yearly budgets exceeding $70 million USD. He overhauled a factory in Bangplee, built a new factory in Rayong, and constructed a factory in Yantai, Shandong Province, China. This opportunity allowed his children Terry Jr., Desiree, and Jeremy to attend high school in Thailand.

Beyond engineering, Terry dedicated himself to education, teaching high school in the Egyptian, Meridian, Century, and Cairo school systems in Southern IL, and serving as an instructor at Grantham Electronic School. His entrepreneurial spirit even led him to run an H&R Block office and build a trailer court on a 30-acre plot of family land known as "the 30 acres."

A lifelong amateur radio enthusiast, Terry held call signs K9EDI, W9MKI, W0BLG, W1FJT, W2GCC, and W3EPW, and served as chief engineer at radio and television stations including KFVS, WEOK, WLEM, KCGM, and WKRO. After retirement, he spent five years volunteering as a DJ at WDBX Community Radio Station in Carbondale, IL, where he delighted in playing music he loved and sharing stories with listeners.

Terry is survived by his wife of 34 years, Izetta Elaine Lentz of Carbondale, IL; son Terry Malcolm Lentz, Jr. and loving daughter-in-law, Phung of Taiwan; daughter Marsha Acord of Troy, IL; daughter Desiree Lentz of Salem, KY; stepdaughter Jennifer Harker of Liberty Township, OH; stepson Jeremy Chaney of Benton, IL; adopted son Darian Lentz of Tamaroa, IL; grandchildren Jonathan Lentz, Nathan Lentz, Jamie Acord, Shanon Acord, Jason Acord, Carson Chaney, Lucas Chaney, Amiah Chaney, Celeste Harker, Anna Harker, Yoko Tran, Naomi Tran, Nani McClure, Kai Yang-Duong, Wen Yang-Duong, Wei Yang-Duong, Kwan Yang-Duong, Kimbra Lentz, and Sarah Lentz. Also surviving are his great-grandchildren Jackson Acord, Davis Acord, Grayden Fisher, Dexter Fisher, Lucas Fisher, Niko Mendoza, and Zayden Maynor; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George Malcolm and Lista Elizabeth Lentz; son Todd Mathew Lentz; stepson Mark Chaney; and grandson Kevin Lieu Tran.

Visitation will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 31, 2026, at Meredith Funeral Home, 300 S. University Ave., Carbondale, IL 62901. Memorial service will follow at 3 p.m.

Meredith Funeral Home in Carbondale assisted the family with arrangements. To leave a story or memory of Terry, visit www.meredithfh.com.