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Lancaster practiced law for more than four decades and served for twenty-two years in the Louisiana Army [[National Guard]], from which he retired as a major.. During law school, a chance encounter on a train headed to the [[Louisiana State University|LSU]]-[[Tulane University|Tulane]] football game with legislator John Joseph Hainkel, Jr. (1938-2005), led to Lancaster's working in Hainkel's law office and a  run for the state legislature to which he was elected in the general election held on February 1, 1972,<ref name=obit/> in the same election which the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Edwin Edwards]] defeated Republican [[David C. Treen]] in the first of their two matches at the ballot box. Lancaster ran unsuccessfully for the Louisiana State Senate in the 1975 nonpartisan blanket primary and hence was out of the House for a four-year term.<ref name=jpope/>

Lancaster practiced law for more than four decades and served for twenty-two years in the Louisiana Army [[National Guard]], from which he retired as a major.. During law school, a chance encounter on a train headed to the [[Louisiana State University|LSU]]-[[Tulane University|Tulane]] football game with legislator John Joseph Hainkel, Jr. (1938-2005), led to Lancaster's working in Hainkel's law office and a  run for the state legislature to which he was elected in the general election held on February 1, 1972,<ref name=obit/> in the same election which the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Edwin Edwards]] defeated Republican [[David C. Treen]] in the first of their two matches at the ballot box. Lancaster ran unsuccessfully for the Louisiana State Senate in the 1975 nonpartisan blanket primary and hence was out of the House for a four-year term.<ref name=jpope/>

Lancaster had an interest in betting on [[horse]] races and was an inaugural ticket holder of the [[New Orleans Saints]] of the [[NFL]] and thereafter a dedicated fan. His affiliations include the Louisiana and Jefferson Parish bar associations, the Jefferson Performing Arts Society, the New Orleans Sports Foundation, the Southern Republican Exchange, the American Legislative Exchange Council, and the National Conference of State Legislators. He was also aa former president of the National Republican Legislators Association. Among his numerous legislative aides was the former state Representative Shirley Duvigneaud Bowler, also of Jefferson Parish.  A lifelong [[conservative]], Lancaster played a role in the  building of the Republican Party in Jefferson Parish and throughout the state. He chaired the influential House and Governmental Affairs Committee for twelve under two governors — one a Republican and one a Democrat. The committee reviews matters of elections, campaign finance, open meetings, public records, and redistricting and reapportionment. He long opposed the nonpartisan blanket primary, adopted in 1975, and often tried to pass legislation to return to closed party primaries. Earlier inn 2018, he was inducted into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame in Winnfield in North Louisiana, which began recognizing various state politicians in 1993.<ref name=obit/>

Lancaster had an interest in betting on [[horse]] races and was an inaugural ticket holder of the [[New Orleans Saints]] of the [[NFL]] and thereafter a dedicated fan. His affiliations include the Louisiana and Jefferson Parish bar associations, the Jefferson Performing Arts Society, the New Orleans Sports Foundation, the Southern Republican Exchange, the American Legislative Exchange Council, and the National Conference of State Legislators. He was also aa former president of the National Republican Legislators Association. Among his numerous legislative aides was the former state Representative Shirley Duvigneaud Bowler, also of Jefferson Parish.  A lifelong [[conservative]], Lancaster played a role in the  building of the Republican Party in Jefferson Parish and throughout the state. He chaired the influential House and Governmental Affairs Committee for twelve under two governors — one a Republican and one a Democrat. The committee reviews matters of elections, campaign finance, open meetings, public records, and redistricting and reapportionment. He long opposed the nonpartisan blanket primary, adopted in 1975, and often tried to pass legislation to return to closed party primaries. Earlier in 2018, he was inducted into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame in Winnfield in North Louisiana, which began recognizing various state politicians in 1993.<ref name=obit/>

Lancaster died in his sleep in his Metairie home of a heart attack just over a month short of his 75th birthday. His obituary indicates that he had "a keen intellect, a larger than life personality, an incredible sense of humor, a hallmark laugh, and a love of good times with family and friends". He and his late wife, Edith "Patches" Shannon Lancaster, had two surviving children,  Edith Helen "Dee Dee" Lancaster and Charles D. Lancaster, III, and one grandson. His funeral mass will be held on August 24, 2018, at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in New Orleans.<ref name=obit/>

Lancaster died in his sleep in his Metairie home of a heart attack just over a month short of his 75th birthday. His obituary indicates that he had "a keen intellect, a larger than life personality, an incredible sense of humor, a hallmark laugh, and a love of good times with family and friends". He and his late wife, Edith "Patches" Shannon Lancaster, had two surviving children,  Edith Helen "Dee Dee" Lancaster and Charles D. Lancaster, III, and one grandson. His funeral mass will be held on August 24, 2018, at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in New Orleans.<ref name=obit/>