Richard Lenzsch Obituary (2021) – Somers Point, NJ

Lenzsch, Richard W. “Dick”, – 88, of Somers Point, entered the gates of heaven November 30, 2021. Born in his home in Longport, New Jersey, he attended (with perfect attendance) Granville Elementary and graduated from Atlantic City high school in 1951, where he was a stand-out football and baseball player. He then graduated from Rider University with his degree in business finance and was a brother in the Tau Kappa Epsilon TKE fraternity. He had a storybook childhood, growing up traveling with the circus and his father, Ozzie’s high-wire walking act, The American Eagles, along with his aunt and uncles (the Pacentrillis). Riding elephants and ponies, playing with clowns, and feeding lions and tigers, was everyday life. He was crowned the “Youngest High-Wire Artist in the World” after walking the wire in Detroit, Michigan at age 15. He loved his childhood pet, “Pal,” his pony, which he galloped on the beach and to school often. From a young man, he worked at the family business in Longport “Ozzie’s Place,” doing all phases of operation for the liquor, luncheonette, novelty, grocery, and butcher shop stores. He came face to face with many famous visitors to the Betty Bacharach home, next door to Ozzie’s, including Ronald Regan, The Three Stooges, and Marilyn Monroe, to name a few. There, he met the love of his life, Julie Ellen McDuffie, a red-head Georgia peach from Pineview, Georgia. She came to work at the Winchester House Hotel behind Ozzie’s Place for the summer. After a short but long-distance courtship, they wed and raised their four boys in Somers Point, giving them an awesome childhood full of excitement & adventure. Dick volunteered to join the U.S. Navy where he was a yeoman on the USS Roberts Destroyer. He played on the Naval Base’s baseball team, hitting an even .400 batting average (playing short-stop) and boasting a 49-1 record. He made many memories fishing, duck hunting, camping, RV-ing, square-dancing, skeet shooting, playing roller hockey & ice hockey, gardening, and he umpired little league baseball. He caught many fish, large and small, including a 51-pound Salmon in Alaska on fly rod and a 12.5-pound slippery bass on a bamboo rod. He was self-employed with an Arnold Bread franchise (Somers Point to Cape May), RV dealerships: Patcong Trailer Sales and Rt 40 Travel Trailers, a commercial realtor, professional square dance caller, and finishing his working career at Tropicana Casino as hardcount manager/supervisor. After Julie’s passing in 1996, he retired and remarried, Joan Adams of Ventnor. He took to the road again, RV-ing across the country, exploring from Texas to Alaska and Canada, settling in Washington state until Joan’s death — after which he returned home to Somers Point. He truly enjoyed his times at Dolphin Dock and his buds at Graef’s boatyard. Thank you, Jack. He is preceded in death by his parents; Oswald Lenzsch and Monfreda nee Pacentrilli; wife, Julie; and son, Richard. He leaves behind his sons Christopher (Lora), Tim (Helen), Thomas (Deborah) and grandchildren Julie Anne (William), Leah, Rachel (Michael), Christine (Austin), Joseph (Mallory), Timothy, Deidre, Sean, Jessica (John), and great-grandchildren Johnny, Audrianna, Lora, brother Butch (Marie) and many nieces and nephews. The family is forever grateful to the ICU staff at Shore Memorial Hospital, Autumn Lakes Rehabilitation, Gloria Kelly (Kelly Care), Patty and Tracy Fooks-Michna and all supportive and loving friends and family. A visitation will be held at Middleton-Stroble & Zale Funeral Home, 304 Shore Road, Somers Point, NJ 08244 from 6-8pm on Wednesday, December 15th. Burial & services will be private. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to charity of your choice. Please share condolences at www.MSZaleFH.com