David Edwin Lutz

No Visitation

~Celebration of Life Memorial Service~

11:00 A.M.

Thursday, October 1, 2026

First Baptist Church Mannford

105 Greenwood Avenue

Mannford, Oklahoma 74044

*Any plant/flower orders may be delivered to the funeral home*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DAVID EDWIN LUTZ 

of Mannford, Oklahoma

AGE 71

BORN

June 7, 1955 in

Caney, KS.

ENTERED REST

September 24, 2026 in

Mannford, OK.

PARENTS

Cleo & Jo Ann Lutz

RETIRED

Landman for 

Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline

MARRIED 

August 14, 1987 in 

Eureka Springs, AR.

PREDECEASED BY:

PARENTS

SURVIVED BY:

WIFE

Jennifer of the home in Mannford

CHILDREN

Amelia Lutz & Gavin Henry of Mannford, OK.

Catherine & Jess Tarrant of Tulsa, OK.

Jeffrey & Kendall McClain of Tulsa, OK.

NUMEROUS OTHER RELATIVES & FRIENDS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following was lovingly written by David's family...

David Edwin Lutz

David “Dave” or “DL” Edwin Lutz was born June 7, 1955, 

in Caney, Kansas, to Jo Ann and Cleo Lutz. 

He graduated from Caney Valley High School and 

attended Coffeyville Community College, 

where he played football for two years. 

He began working summers at Cities Service, 

where both of his parents worked, before joining the company full-time. 

His career eventually took him to Wichita and continued through 

the company’s transition to Williams Natural Gas.

David had an adventurous spirit and an endless curiosity. 

An avid aviation enthusiast and pilot, he became a passionate skydiver 

and was a member of a jump team, performing at air shows, 

sporting events, holiday celebrations, and demonstrations. 

He helped test early flight suits and develop systems used to

 fly large flags behind jumpers during performances.

Skydiving also brought David the love of his life. 

Over Fourth of July weekend in 1982, 

David met Jennifer through a mutual friend and her sister.

 Jennifer was immediately drawn to him and famously asked her friend, 

“How can I see him again?” 

The answer was, “Well, he’s always at an airport.” 

So Jennifer learned to skydive, 

eventually making more than 20 jumps herself.

Their adventures became shared ones, 

and the two later started their own skydiving

 performance company, Aerial Visions, 

traveling throughout the country and even to the Bahamas. 

After five years together, David and Jennifer married on August 14, 1987, 

in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, 

in a private ceremony that was perfectly their own.

Their daughter Amelia Gayle was born September 29, 1988, in Tulsa.

 David’s work with Williams brought the family to the Drumright area,

 and after living in Sand Springs, they settled in Mannford in 1990 on a hillside overlooking Keystone Lake. 

Their second daughter, 

Catherine Elizabeth, was born November 8, 1991, in Tulsa.

Mannford would remain home for the next 35 years. 

David and Jennifer spent countless hours renovating their home,

 working the property, and creating the beautiful lake view 

David was so proud of. 

Their family life was filled with yearly ski trips, summers on the lake, 

boating, motorcycle rides, holidays, celebrations, 

and a home that was always open to family and friends.

David continued his career from welder’s helper to heavy equipment operator and eventually into land management as a landman with Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline. 

While working and raising his family, he attended night classes and 

earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. 

He continued his career for 42 years until his retirement and later returned as a land-management consultant. 

At the time of his passing, David was working on a project alongside

 his beloved friend and colleague, Rhonda Thompson.

David was a natural problem-solver and the ultimate handyman. 

He loved logic puzzles, taking apart equipment, 

figuring out how things worked,

 and fixing nearly anything. 

Even when he hired someone to do a job,

 David could usually be found right beside them helping. 

He also loved his classic vehicles, especially his 1966 Chevy truck, 

which he proudly drove with Jennifer in the recent 

Route 66 Centennial parade.

He loved animals and cared for many dogs and cats throughout his life. 

From Major, the family’s Border Collie

 whom David trained to play Frisbee, 

to his granddog Roux, who spent many of his days by his side, 

animals always had a special place in his life.

But more than anything, David loved people. 

He was the person you called when you needed help, advice, 

or simply someone to talk something through with.

 David and Jennifer opened their home to those who

 needed a safe place to land, 

and he offered his knowledge, time, and generosity freely. 

He loved teaching others. 

Whether skiing, explaining hockey, navigating Keystone Lake,

 or sharing one of the countless things he had learned along the way.

David loved having everyone together.

 His favorite times were with a full house, a boat full of people,

 family and friends gathered around, laughter filling the room, and someone listening to one of his stories. 

He was a gifted storyteller who could turn an ordinary moment into something worth remembering.

David’s legacy is found in his dedication, hard work, honesty, 

generosity, curiosity, and adventurous spirit,

 but most of all in the life he built with Jennifer 

and the family and community that grew around them.

He was a devoted husband, son, father, son-in-law, father-in-law, 

cousin, uncle, colleague, teacher, storyteller, adventurer, and friend.

No obituary could fully capture a life like David’s.

 Those who knew and loved him will carry his stories, 

his lessons, his laughter, and his love with them for the rest of their lives.