The Fellowship of Christian Athletes family expresses sorrow at the passing of longtime friend and Hall of Champions inductee Danny Lotz, who was 78.
The husband of Anne Graham Lotz and son-in-law of evangelist Billy Graham was inducted into the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Hall of Champions in 2002. Danny and Anne were married in 1966 and have three adult children: Jonathan (and wife Jenny), Morrow (and husband Traynor Reitmeier) and Rachel-Ruth (and husband Steven Wright). Three granddaughters complete the family.
“Our hearts are heavy at the news of the passing of Danny Lotz; however, we rejoice that he is with his Savior,” said FCA President and CEO Les Steckel. “There are few families whose lives have been more centered around FCA than that of the Lotzes. We at FCA are especially grateful for all that Danny and his wife, Anne, have committed to this ministry over the years and the legacy he has left in helping FCA advance our vision: to see the world impacted for Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes. We are forever indebted to all Danny has done for FCA during his faithful life, and our prayers go out to the Lotz and Graham families.”
Throughout their nearly 50-year marriage, Danny, who began FCA's presence in North Carolina, and Anne worked together for the benefit of FCA. All three of the Lotz children were active in FCA in middle school and high schools, and Anne served as the Huddle leader and sponsor for a middle school FCA group in Raleigh. The Lotz children continue to minister through FCA as Huddle leaders and sponsors for Raleigh-area high schools.
A broken leg may have ended his basketball career prematurely, but for Danny Lotz, that injury meant a life-changing introduction to FCA. After attending several camps and conferences, Lotz founded the FCA Huddle at the University of North Carolina and would later spend time on the international sports ministry’s national board.
Lotz got his start in athletics in Long Island, N.Y., where he was an all-state selection in football, basketball and track. The son of a Baptist minister and well-known street preacher, Lotz played basketball for the 1957 undefeated national championship team at UNC and was the team captain for the 1959 squad.
In 1964, he met Anne while attending an FCA conference near the Graham residence in North Carolina. After serving in the Air Force, Lotz proposed to Anne and then spent two months in the United Kingdom evangelizing and hosting basketball clinics as part of the Billy Graham Crusade at Earls Court.
In addition to his notable involvement with FCA and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Lotz operated a successful dental practice in Raleigh. He taught Sunday school for 50 years and served as a leader within the Bible Study Fellowship for over 25 years. Lotz also co-founded a weekly men’s Bible study in Raleigh that continues to impact more than 200 participants.
This past February, Lotz was honored with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine award by the North Carolina governor. The prestigious award is granted to citizens for extraordinary service to the state and local community. Lotz was cited for his outreach through FCA.