David Wall Lang

David Wall Lang
January 29, 1927 – February 1, 2012

David Lang passed away peacefully at home in Corona del Mar on February 1. He was 85.

The son of Clarence Lang and Mary Olga Wall, David grew up in Beverly Hills and attended the U.S. Naval Academy. As a midshipman he enjoyed competitive rowing and was a member of the championship Varsity crew team. Upon graduation in 1952 he married Betty Jane (“B.J.”) Fortune and entered the U.S. Air Force. From 1953-1955 the couple lived in Germany where David served as guidance systems officer on the Matador cruise missile program.

In 1956 he returned to California, settling in Arcadia and continuing his career in aerospace with United Geophysical and later United Electrodynamics and Northrop Corp. In 1963 David and his family moved to Newport Beach. A year later he and two colleagues founded IKL Inc., a digital instrumentation company.

David was an avid yachtsman. As a boy he enjoyed sailing on his father’s 125-foot schooner, Skidbladner. When he turned 35, David purchased his own sailboat, a 32-foot sloop he christened Edelweiss. He loved sailboat racing and skippered Edelweiss in numerous local regattas. In recent years David and B.J. took pleasure in long summers spent cruising the Pacific Northwest on their 36-foot trawler Tourmaline. David was an active member and Staff Commodore of Balboa Yacht Club and was past president of Pacific Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF).

Aviation was another passion. In addition to soaring, David flew his own light plane to destinations across the U.S. and Mexico. He and B.J. traveled extensively in Europe and enjoyed taking road trips throughout California and in the gold country where they built and maintained a vacation home.

David is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Betty Jane, and son Jeffrey and daughter Kathryn. He will be remembered always for his devotion to his family and friends, his strength and honor, his kind and generous spirit, and his warmth and wit.

A celebration of life will be held Wednesday, February 22 at 2:00 PM at Balboa Yacht Club, 1801 Bayside Drive in Corona del Mar.