Melanie J Lantis

Former Hastings resident, Melanie J. Lantis 58, passed away Sunday, December 7, 2025, at her home in Deshler Nebraska.

Celebration of Life will be at 1:00 p.m,,Friday, December 19, 2025, at Butler Volland Funeral Home in Hastings with Father Mark Seiker officiating. Graveside service will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Giltner, NE. to be buried by her son. Rosary will be 7:00 p.m. Thursday, December 18, 2025, at Butler Volland funeral home, and visitation will be 1-8 p.m. with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Memorials may be given to the family to be established at a later date. The service will be live-streamed on Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home’s website. To view the service, go to Melanie’s obituary and click the play button shown toward the bottom of the page. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lbvfh.com. Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home & Cremation Center is serving the family.

Melanie was born to Edward and Janet (Rader) Soucie on April 11, 1967 in Grand Island, NE. She married Gary Lee Lantis on June 2, 1989. To this union 3 boys were born Jamie Lee, Christopher Lee and Jeffrey Edward. They later divorced.

Melanie resided and worked in Kearney, NE. She had an Associates Degree in Applied Sciences and Early Child Development. She used this degree while working at Headstart. Then moving to DSN in Kearney working with mentally under developed persons. She later decided to spread her heart in the field and invited two different individuals to live in her home and provided love and care to these persons as she had with everyone she came in contact with. She gave up this passion eventually because of serious health issues. She enjoyed doing crafts and her love grew when her granddaughters joined in on her love. They were the light of her life.

In her boys’ younger years she would do anything to spend time with them. Hunting, fishing, and many hours of video games. She also enjoyed gardening and time with her sisters and their families. She enjoyed making things new and interesting and pleasure of hers was to redecorate her living space.

Melanie was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, two nephews and her beloved son, Jamie Lee Lantis.

She is survived by:

Son’s & Spouse: 
    Christopher Lee & Candice Lantis
    Jeffrey Edward Lantis
Grandchildren: 
    Kaia
    Edyn
    McKayla
    Keyton
Stepmother: 
    Elaine Soucie
Brothers & Spouses:
    Greg & Patricia Soucie
    Dan & Tammy Soucie
Sisters & Spouses: 
    Becky & Randy Sorensen 
    Lisa & Melvin Trausch
    Valerie & Dale Engel
    Angela & Mark Allen
Former Husband: 
    Gary Lee Lantis
Numerous Nieces, Nephews, other extended family and many friends.