Obituary: Lane, James Milton
Age 77
After surviving two separate cancer events in 1987 and 1995, Jim was faced with a third event which was diagnosed as terminal in August.
Jim was born September 4, 1936 to Milton and Helen Lane in Spokane, Washington, where he graduated high school.
Following graduation, he worked for the Department of Highways in Montana as a surveyor before joining the US Army in 1959.
He was stationed with the 18th Engineer Company at Ladd AFB (now Ft. Wainwright) in Fairbanks as a Platoon Sergeant.
In 1962 he started a career with the State of Alaska Department of Highways.
He worked as a project engineer on a number of project sites in the Interior - most of them involved the construction of the Parks Highway, between Nenana and Hurricane Gulch.
Jim transferred to the Western District in Nome and worked as the regional construction engineer until his retirement in 1989.
Subsequently, he moved to Anchorage and worked as a private engineering and construction consultant.
It was during this time that he served as the Project Field Manager for AIDEA on the Red Dog Mine port and highway projects.
Jim was a very capable engineer and administrator, but he is best remembered as an excellent public servant with a fair and compassionate nature - liked by all who came in contact with him.
Jim’s passion throughout his life was hunting and fishing, which became the main incentive for his extensive travels into remote areas of Europe, Asia and Africa.
He fell in love with Africa and had serious plans to retire to Zimbabwe, where he had acquired real property and made good friends.
Political events in Zimbabwe were to later prevent this from happening.
Jim is survived by his wife of 50 years, Ellen (Jones) Lane; older brother Don Lane of Spokane, Washington; son - John Lane of Nome; daughters - Patricia Lane and Lorraine Hanna of Anchorage; son-in-law Lawrence Hanna; four grandchildren - Chanel Lane, Caitlynn, Louis and Marcus Hanna; and one great-granddaughter Cienna Lane.
Jim was a dedicated family man and the welfare and safety of his family was always paramount.
During his retirement years, he valued the times spent at the summer home at Council, Alaska - always surrounded by family and friends.
He loved to play games and cards.
The Niukluk and Fish Rivers became his second home.
Jim was a loving, caring and generous man who always shared his joys and fortunes with others and was willing to help anyone in need - no questions asked.
Jim Lane was respected and loved by all who knew him.
A memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM on Thursday, November 7, 2013 at the Anchorage Friends Church - 2824 E. 18th Ave., Anchorage, AK 99508.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alaska Cancer Society or to Anchorage Friends Church.