Lance was born on March 20, 1952 in Detroit, MI, the second oldest of four children to William Chester Marthaler and Lois Dona Perry Marthaler. He was raised in Troy, MI, attended elementary and high school there, and then served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam Era, as a Navy Airedale, stationed on the USS Forrestal supercarrier. After being discharged from the military, he relocated to Cleveland, TN to attend Lee University to study Theology and Photography, serving as the staff photographer of the University Yearbook, the Vindagua. He remained in Cleveland, TN for 17 years and then relocated with his son, Adam to Snellville, GA where he met his wife, Jann.
