November 21, 1930 – February 17, 2015
Dr. Charles Ritter Lange DVM better known as “Doc Lange” was born in Prescott AZ. on November 21, 1930 to Charles and Edna Lange. He went to be with his Lord on February 17, 2015 due to complications from heart disease.
Doc was raised on cattle ranches. His parents were born in the Arizona Territory which may have accounted for his love of history, especially the stories of his own pioneer grandfathers who were ranchers who settled the area. He graduated from Mitchell High School in Mitchell OR in 1949. He joined the United States Air Force in 1951 and served his country for 4 years. He met the love of his life, Marilyn Fogal while at McDill Air Force Base in Tampa Florida. They were married in 1953 and remained together for 60 years until Marilyn’s passing in 2013.
Doc started college at Washington State University in 1955 and graduated with his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1961. He then moved to Eagle in 1961 and practiced large and small animal medicine for 48 years. A career that spans that length of time garners many colorful stories. One of mom’s favorite stories occurred on their 20th wedding anniversary. Doc had told mom that he was taking her out for real fancy dinner at the Owyhee Hotel. After dressing up in their best clothes and right as they were leaving Doc got a phone call and then said to mom “I have to make a quick call and it will only take a few minutes. It’s this little old couple who needs help.” So they went to this couple’s home which was a little farm house. Doc drove out their back gate to the end of their pasture and then on top of a windswept ridge. There stood an elderly gentleman with a leg in a cast and his wife who was holding a flash light on their cow that was down in the mud trying to calve. Doc told the couple to go back to their house he would take care of it and not to worry mom “would assist him.” They left and Doc took off his good jacket and worked on the cow while mom held the flashlight and handed him whatever instruments he asked for. The procedure lasted till about midnight. The cow and calf lived but they never got to their dinner date. They left the little farm house with their clothes ruined but they laughed on their way home and said that it would probably be an anniversary that they would never forget.
Doc was also an accomplished pilot and loved to fly with his friends in the Idaho back country which he also dearly loved. For many years he flew in to the various back country ranches to treat their livestock. He was also an avid hunter and fisherman.
Doc is survived by his son Mark and daughter in law Sandy Lange of Caldwell, Ted Lange of Eagle, and Ron Lange of Star and his grandson Mike Lange of Portland Oregon. He is preceded in death by his wife Marilyn and by his two brothers Dean and Ralph Lange.
The memorial service will be held at Cole Community Church at 8775 Ustick Road Boise, Idaho on February 28, 2015 at 1pm. There will be a private graveside service immediately afterward. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial donations be made to Cole Community Church.
Published in Idaho Statesman on Feb. 24, 2015