Eloise Lane

SERVICES: Memorial services will be at 11:00 AM Monday, July 12, 2010, at First Baptist Church, with Dr. Johnny Funderburg, pastor, officiating.BURIAL: Private burial will be in Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.BIOGRAPHY: Miss Lane was born on a Thursday, April 29, 1915 on her grandfather's farm located 5 1/2 miles northeast of Pampa. Her parents were Thomas V. and Mary Catherine Woodward Lane. Her paternal grandparents were Thomas H. and Emma Case Lane. The Thomas H. Lane family was the first to live at the railroad station that would become Pampa. Mr. Lane was also the first Postmaster of Pampa.Both her maternal and paternal grandparents, as well as her parents, were active in civic and church activities. Her maternal grandfather, Charles P. Woodward, was city secretary from 1920-1923 and clerk of the First Baptist Church for several years. Mr. Woodward and Eloise's father, Thomas V. Lane, owned and operated Woodward and Lane Grocery Store, located at 109 N. Cuyler from 1917-1928. Eloise grew up at 320 N. Somerville and had many fond memories of her childhood. She was very lucky to have two sisters to grow up with. All three young ladies attended school in Pampa together. Her sisters were Leah V. Lane Estham, who died in 1999, and Edith V. Lane Guinn, who died in 2007.Eloise started school in 1922 and began taking piano lessons. During her school years, she would accompany the girls' glee club and play for many activities. She graduated from Pampa High School in 1932 at valedictorian.She attended college at Mary Hardin-Baylor College in Belton where she received a Bachelor's degree in music in 1939. She received her Master's degree in arts in 1951 from Colorado State College of Education at Greely, Colorado. She started her teaching career at McLean where she taught for three years. She then taught at Spring Creek for two years before beginning a long career with Pampa ISD. She taught for a total of 36 years in Pampa, beginning at Pampa Junior High, Sam Houston Elementary, and ended her career at Baker Elementary. She was the pianist for nine years and organist for 27 years at First Baptist Church. She also gave private piano and organ lessons for many years until her retirement. She played for many, many weddings, funerals and other events.Two years after her retirement from teaching, she became involved in researching and recording Gray County history. As a docent of the White Deer Land Museum, she wrote many "Museum Momentos" and a number of pamphlets for the museum. She was co-editor of Gray County Heritage that was published in 1985, and assisted with the video "Gray County Adventure," produced in 1994. She had also written several articles for "Focus Magazine." She was presented with the Award of Merit in Historic Preservation from the Texas Historical Commission in 1992, and was named as honorarium as "Historian of Pampa and Gray County, Texas." She was inducted into the Pampa Harvester Hall of Fame in 2002.Eloise was a member of the Pampa Retired Teachers Association, Gray County Historical Commission, El Progresso Club, Pampa Book Club, First Baptist Church, and many other organizations.She was preceded in death by her parents: Thomas V. and Mary Woodward Lane; her sisters and brothers-in-law: Leah V. Lane Eastham and husband A. D. Eastham, Edith V. Lane Guinn and husband Floyd Guinn; and two nephews: Floyd "Buddy" Guinn and Robert Vyr "Bob" Eastham.She is survived by seven nieces and nephews and their spouses: Ginger Shadden and husband Mark of Dublin, Georgia, Al Gushue of Bayfield, Colorado, Marge Tannehill and husband Lane of Post, Phil Guinn and wife Susan of Meridian, Betty Ann Ivey and husband Willie Jack of Levelland, Charles Eastman and Karen Fox of Iowa City, Iowa, Pat Petty and husband Tom of Stinnett, and Nancy Weise and husband David of El Lago. She is also survived by 22 great nieces and nephews and their spouses, along with 40 and counting great-great-nieces and nephews.In lieu of flowers, Eloise asked that memorials be made to the White Deer Land Museum, 116 S. Cuyler, Pampa, Texas 79065, Pampa Harvester Hall of Fame, or Eugene Anderson Scholarship Fund, c/o Pampa High School, 111 E. Harvester, Pampa, Texas 79065, First Baptist Church Special Music Fund, P.O. Box 621, Pampa, Texas 79066-0621, or your favorite charity.