Douglas Lane

On March 5, 2019, Douglas Laughlin Lane, aged 84, passed away surrounded by his wife and children. Doug is survived by his loving wife, Grace (nee Wismayer), and nine children: Allen (Kim) of Burlington; Brian (Rena) of Shanghai, China; David (Paivi) of Burk's Falls; Sandra Newton (Bill Johnson) of Burk's Falls; Doug (Miranda) of High Level, Alberta; Mark (Shelley Yearley) of Huntsville; Sharon Harling (Richard DeGrate) of Waco, Texas; Lorraine Blackmore of Calgary, Alberta; and John of Toronto. He was grandpa to 27 grandchildren and great-grandpa to 30 children. Doug is also survived by his sister, Maxine Reid, as well as many nieces and nephews. Doug was predeceased by his sister, Dorothy Turnbull; brother, Lawrence; son-in-law, Paul Newton; daughter-in-law, Joanna Lane; foster children, Tim and Evelyn. Doug was born in Bancroft, Ontario on February 5, 1935 to John (Jack) and Pearl Lane. Doug served in the Artillery Squadron of the Canadian Airforce in the 1950s. He was deployed to France in 1954 through to the end of 1955. Doug and Grace met in Toronto on a blind date just before he left. They continued to date and exchange letters while Doug served in France. He proposed upon his return, and they were wed on June 2, 1956, residing in Toronto (where Doug worked for the City of Toronto at Centre Island) until moving to Huntsville in 1967. Once they arrived in Huntsville, he began working at Canusa. On the side, he built a set of stairs at a boathouse and did such a beautiful job that the clients kept referring him to others. As a result, he became increasingly busy so opened Lane Services, maintaining and building homes and cottages in the Lake of Bays and Muskoka area. He also worked as a building inspector in Lake of Bays Township for four years. This was when computers were increasingly present in workplaces and Doug would often say "I could have added that faster in my head!" After leaving Lake of Bays, Doug started on his own again. Even after he retired, he continued to help family and friends with building projects large and small. Doug enjoyed fishing with his family - embarking on canoe trips into Algonquin Park, a flight to Labrador, and road trips around the province, including to Iron Bridge. Doug was a master wood craftsman, creating beds, roll top desks, canoes, tables, burl bowls and other items for his children and grandchildren. He had such a natural talent that he was able to complete all these projects by envisioning the item and then building it without relying upon plans. He resided with Grace and her sister, Doris Campbell, in the home he built overlooking the marsh. There he watched the wildlife and spent time visiting with his many family members. He will be remembered for his sharp wit/sense of humour which kept everyone on their toes. In 2016, Doug and Grace celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. In his later years, as his health declined, he was supported at home by a number of home care staff. When staying at home was no longer an option, Doug benefitted from the care at Huntsville Hospice. The family would like to thank Dr. Paul Bastedo, Dr. Devon Brisson, the nurses and staff at Huntsville Hospital and Huntsville Hospice, CCAC, Friends, Closing the Gap, and the many friends who showed Doug so much kindness.

A celebration of life will be held at Deerhurst Resort on March 30, 2019 from 1 to 4 PM. Donations in Doug's memory can be made to Heart and Stroke Foundation or Huntsville Hospice.

"�"𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦"

Service Details.

Visitation

When: Saturday, March 30th, 2019 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Deerhurst Resort
Address: 1235 Deerhurst Drive HUNTSVILLE, ON P1H 2E8