Don Richard Lane

Don Richard Lane, 89, of Pampa, passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020, in Pampa.

Memorial services will be at 11:00 AM Saturday at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Charlie Stevens, pastor, and John Curry, officiating.  Private burial will be in Fairview Cemetery.  Arrangements are by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Don’s service will be streamed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/First-United-Methodist-Church-of-Pampa-119237638124004.

Don was born in Pampa, the sixth child of Ada and R. W. Lane, early pioneers. He graduated from Pampa High School in 1948 as valedictorian, and in 2003, Don was named to the Pampa High School Hall of Fame.

Don was a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Law degree, graduating 6th in his law school class. While at OU, he was President of Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity, Phi Kappa Sigma (social fraternity), and Student Union Activities Board, which planned and sponsored various student activities. Don also served one term as chairman of the homecoming activities, Barbershop Quartet contest, and student director of the Sooner Scandals Variety Show. He was also a member of the OU Men's Glee Club for four years, student coordinator for the Celebrity Concert Series, and research assistant to the legal advisor to the University.

He received a commission in the Air Force through the ROTC program and served on active duty for two years in the Judge Advocate General's Department of the Air Force. While on active duty, he was admitted to the United States Court of Military Appeals in Washington, D.C.  He continued to serve in the Air Force reserve for several years following active duty, reaching the rank of major.

In 1956, he was appointed law clerk to the Honorable A. P. Murrah, Judge of the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, for whom the Federal Building in Oklahoma City was named.  Don married Susanne Whitney on Sept. 7, 1957 in Elk City, Oklahoma.  In 1960, he and his family moved to Pampa to continue his private practice of law. Don served as city judge and city attorney for the City of Pampa for over 40 years, retiring from the city in 2007. For eleven years, he was director of the First National Bank in Pampa, and he was a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.  Don retired from his private law practice in 2014.

His community activities have spanned a broad range. A member of the First United Methodist Church, he has served in various capacities: church Sunday school teacher for over 50 years; lay leader of his local church and for the Pampa District; chairman of the Board of Trustees, Administrative Board, Finance Committee, and Pastor-Parish Relations Committee. He has served as president of the Clarendon College Pampa Center Foundation from 1994 until 2018. Its board members raised over $2.6 million to build a new facility for Clarendon College-Pampa Center. He has also served as president of the Pampa Chamber of Commerce, Lovett Library Board of Trustees, Gray County Chapter of the American Cancer Society, Board of Trustees of the Coronado Community Hospital (now the Pampa Regional Medical Center); and the Pampa Kiwanis Club, also serving one year as the Lieutenant Governor of the Texas-Oklahoma Division 6 of Kiwanis International. He served on the board of Genesis House.  In 2000, Don was named Pampa Citizen of the Year, the highest community award.

Don is survived by his wife Susanne of the home; a son, Dr. Richard Lane and wife Pam of Oklahoma City; a daughter, Susan Lane, of Southlake; five grandchildren, Jennifer Dye and husband Adam and Taylor Lane and husband Peter Wolfgang, all of Oklahoma City, Thomas Lane and wife Brianne of Dallas, Jarod Chaney of Houston, and Whitney Chaney of Austin; four great grandchildren, Ella, Davis, and Millie Dye of Oklahoma City, and Sawyer Lane of Dallas; and by several nieces and nephews.  Don was preceded in death by four brothers, Howard, George, Noble, and John Robert, and by a sister, Josephine Lawson.

Don’s greatest love was for all his family and being with them and traveling with them.

The family would like to extend thanks to Maria Copado for her loving care of Don for the last several weeks and to Tina Villarreal for her longtime special friendship.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, PO Box 1981, Pampa, TX 79066-1981.

Sign the online guest register at www.carmichael-whatley.com