Alan Clarke Lane

Alan “Skip” Lane died on January 5 at the age of 84 from complications of dementia. The youngest of four children, he was born May 18, 1938, in East Toledo to Edwin and Louise (Miller) Lane.

Skip was a 1956 graduate of Waite High School. He was inducted into the Waite Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame in 2004 and served as president of the Waite, Inc. scholarship program. He earned a Bachelor of Education, Education Specialist graduate degree, and a Master of Arts, all from the University of Toledo. A member of Theta Chi, “Bronco” remained close to many of his fraternity brothers, and for 20 years played in their New Year’s Day “OX Bowl” flag football game.

A lover of history, Skip taught social studies for 34 years. He taught at Jefferson Junior High School in Monroe, Michigan, and Northwood High School and retired from Whitmer High School in 1996 after teaching there for 27 years and serving as department chair. He was selected as a Jennings Scholar at Bowling Green State University for 1967-1968. For many summers he managed the softball ground crew at the Lucas County Recreation Center. After retiring he served as the Northwest Ohio representative for textbook publisher Prentice Hall.

Skip cherished his friends and family. He married Janice Grund in 1964 after spotting her at the Toledo student union and asking a mutual friend to introduce them. They enjoyed traveling together throughout the United States, including the Florida Panhandle and Watervale Inn in Michigan, and in Europe. They regularly attended the Toledo Symphony, Music Under the Stars, and Perrysburg Music at the Market; walked in local metroparks; and enjoyed their memberships in the Toledo Art Museum and the Toledo Zoo. He passed on his love of sports to his daughters. “I took them to games and explained what was happening,” he said. He coached their softball games, attended their many tennis matches and band and choir concerts, and supported them unconditionally. He was just as devoted to his grandchildren.

Skip loved the Lord and served Him in many ways. He was an active member of Zion United Methodist Church, where he served as president of the Administrative Council, taught Sunday School, helped in the after-school program, and sang in the choir. He volunteered in the Great Books program at Beverly Elementary and the Read for Literacy program for pre-schoolers.

A huge sports fan, Skip rooted for the Toledo Rockets, Toledo Mud Hens, Cleveland Indians (choosing that team over the Reds because “the American League sounded more patriotic than the National League”), and the Detroit Lions. He played baseball and football at Waite and in retirement spent many years conducting research for a book about the history of Toledo high school football. He hunted down yearbooks, game programs, and news articles and talked with alumni from many schools. For several years he organized a two-on-two basketball tournament for friends, “Beer and Skittles,” calling it “a rite of spring.” He played tennis and on an over-50 softball team; golfed with fellow Zion members, Whitmer faculty, and the Waite Has-Beens; and served as a hole captain for the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.

Skip had a lifelong love of trains and reading history and of East Toledo, which he called “God’s Country” and “Camelot.”

Skip was preceded in death by his parents, sister Joyce, nephew Jimmy, granddaughter Taylor, parents-in-law Walden and Frieda Grund, brother- and sister-in-law Darst and Peg Grund, and brother-in-law Bob Bee. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Janice; daughters Julie Lane and Jennifer (John) Galyas; grandchildren John, Jordan, and Remi; brother and sister-in-law Eddie and Jane Lane; sister Judy Bee; and several generations of nephews and nieces.

Visitation will be held at Church of the Cross, 1750 Eastgate Rd., Toledo, Ohio 43614 on Monday, January 9, 2023 from 9:30-11:30 with funeral service starting at 11:30.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Waite Scholarship Fund, Metroparks Toledo, Hospice of Northwest Ohio or Church of the Cross United Methodist.

His family is grateful to Dr. Mark Bruss of Waterville and the staff at Maumee Pointe and Hospice of Northwest Ohio for the loving care they provided.