Robert Andrew Lane

Robert Andrew Lane of Sylva, North Carolina died at home surrounded by loving family at 1:47 a.m. on 26 June 2021. He is survived by his wife, Anne, of Sylva, NC.;his sister, Barbara Northup and her husband, Hugh Northup of Sandusky, OH; his niece, Tamara Barker and her husband, Scott Barker and their son, Sam Barker of Upper Sandusky, OH; his nephew, David Northup and his wife, Melissa, and their daughters, Emma and Charlotte of Wyoming, OH.

Robert Andrew Lane was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Andrew A. Lane and Ruth Lane on November 3, 1939. The family moved to Washington, DC when he was 5 (6?) and later out to suburban Bethesda, Maryland. He earned a degree in accounting from the American University and went on to do accounting and statistical work for a number of firms including Acacia Insurance and the Washington Post. He also put in 25 years of volunteer work with the junior high youth group at Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, where he and Anne Louise Thomas were married on October 11, 1974. Increasingly dissatisfied with his first career, he earned a master’s degree in Christian Education at the Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond, VA in 1987. He worked as Director of Christian Education at Unity Presbyterian Church in Fort Mill, SC for 18 years. After retirement, he continued to do occasional work for the church, as well as substitute teaching for local schools. He enjoyed gardening, cooking, sports and reading mysteries and history books. When Anne’s museum career led them to the western North Carolina mountains, they found a loving church home with First Presbyterian Church of Sylva, NC.

His wife writes: “As some of you know from the tributes already posted by some of his many friends and relatives, my Robert, husband and love for 46 years, has left us. He died peacefully in the wee small hours of June 26th. As I have often said, Robert’s mission in life was to make people happy. He was creative, kind, compassionate, and had a lovely sly sense of humor that was with us right to the end. He called store clerks by name, made friends with parking lot attendants, reached out to anyone he felt needed a friend or advocate, and had absolutely no idea where to put the green mixing bowls or the bottle opener. He loved to cook, was passionate about gardening, and adored our cats and chinchillas. He loved to travel, especially by train, and we had some great trips together. And he put up with and supported me through both troubles and enthusiasms. I never doubted his love, and I believe he never doubted mine. We have both loved living in the mountains after lives in cities and suburbs, and even as his health declined over the last three years, Robert retained his wonder at cloud shadows on mountainsides, bright-colored flowers and birds in our garden, and the love of family and friends.”  RIP Robert. Thank you for making so many people happy.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital or through Facebook: https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR? px=7104202&fr_id=39300&pg=personal.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to Harris Hospice and Palliative Care of Sylva, NC.