Gerald Wayne Lane, age 65, of Palestine, Texas died Monday, October 7, 2019, at his home in Palestine, Texas.

SERVICE:

PENDING AT EMANUEL FUNERAL HOME-PALESTINE

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Biographical Sketch for Gerald Wayne Lane

Gerald Wayne Lane was born on August 28, 1954 to R. L. and Ruth Lane.  Gerald was raised in Palestine and attended school in the Palestine Independent School District.  He graduated from Palestine High in 1972.  Marvin Henry (whom Gerald called Frank) also helped raise Gerald after R. L. and Ruth divorced and Ruth married Marvin.

At an early age, Gerald was baptized at South Union Baptist Church.  Until he graduated and left Palestine, Gerald attended South Union and worked on the Junior Usher Board and sang in the Junior Choir.  When he returned to Palestine, he attended Ephesus Community Church under the leadership of his mother and Elder Larry Jones.

In 1972, Gerald enlisted in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War and served two tours of duty.  From 1976-1978, Gerald served onboard the USS Dixie AD-14.  He received an honorable discharge in 1978.  After serving in the Navy, Gerald worked as a civilian at the Long Beach (California) Naval Shipyard.  He returned to Texas in the late 1990s living first in Texarkana, TX and finally settling back in Palestine.  He retired at the age of 48 receiving a commendation for more than 25 years of service.

While living in California, Gerald met and married Jackie Lane with whom he had a son, Curtis Lane (Bakersfield, California) and gained a stepdaughter LaCresha Ratcliff (Bakersfield, California).  Later with Shiree Benjamin (St. Petersburg, Florida), he had a daughter, Ruth Lane (St. Petersburg, Florida), and another son, Rashid Lane (Houston, Texas).

Gerald was a gentle man who loved to watch sports. His team was the Dallas Cowboys.  He rarely exchanged a cross word with anyone.  When he was a teenager, he cared for his two younger sisters, Peaches and Beverly (Beb), while his parents were at work.  He often talked of cooking meals such as four-corner toast and grilled cheese sandwiches for them.  According to Gerald, he couldn't shake his baby sister Beb. She would go everywhere he went, holding tight to his leg with her thumb in her mouth. Gerald was generous and helped his family whenever he could.  He once met Peaches at DFW Airport to pick up her son Corey and take him to Texarkana when she flew in from Wyoming on her way overseas and brought him back to meet her at DFW the next week.  One of the dearest family memories of Gerald is Thanksgiving Day 2015 when he and his mother teamed up and beat Peaches, Beb, Samuel, Corey and Rashid at Bible Trivia.

Gerald was preceded in death by his parents, his grandparents, his uncles, his aunt, his first cousin and friend W. C. Fields.  He leaves to cherish his memory:  son Curtis Lane (Jackie Lane-mother); son Rashid Lane and daughter Ruth Lane (Shiree Benjamin-mother); stepdaughter LaCresha Ratcliff; grandsons Joshua, Isaiah, and Marques; sisters Peaches Henry, Beverly Henry Wheeler (Samuel), Janet Lane Simmons, and Shelisa Lane Dawson; brother R. L. Lane, Jr.; nephew Fred Roberts; aunt Maxine Rogers; first cousins Calvin Deyon, Jr. (Carol), Douglas Deyon (Gloria), Rose Forston (Calvin, Jr.), Valerie Cook (Plez), Cynthia Donnell (Charles), Terrell Rogers, Jennifer Mims Smith (Thomas), Rodney Mims, and Ginger Mims; friends Janet Bowman and Mrs. W. C. Fields; and a host of cousins, other relatives, and friends.

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Final Arrangements made by Emanuel Funeral Home-Palestine, 1721 W. Oak Street, Palestine, TX 75801