Jerry was born in Carthage, Missouri, April 14, 1937, son of Nancy Beamer Lane and Virgil Paul Lane. He attended Carthage schools, the University of Missouri, and the University of Missouri Medical School. He served as a Navy lieutenant and medical attache in Thailand. Following a residency in Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he practiced in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In Charlotte, he was a partner of Charlotte Psychiatric Associates for 25 years. He served as Chief of Psychiatry at Charlotte Memorial and Presbyterian Hospitals; in his private practice he cared for many who were suffering from mental illness, especially those with depression or anorexia.
Surviving him are his wife of 33 years, Judy; his son and daughter-in-law, Christopher and Joy Austin-Lane of Takoma Park, MD; his daughter and son-in-law, Julie and David Frederikson of Boston, MA; his brother and sister-in-law, Frank J. and Dona Lane and nieces Jana Lane Sawyer and Susan Lane of Carthage, MO; and his sister-in-law, Carol Duffy of Greenville, SC. He was anticipating with eagerness the arrival of a grandchild in 2000.
Jerry strove all his life to be a good, loyal, and loving human being. He loved people, especially his family, friends, and patients, and he loved life. During the past years while fighting his illness, he enjoyed the time to make new friends on the internet, where he hosted a Christian chat room and gave support to a network of fellow sarcoma sufferers. He was active in several groups at his church. His life exemplified the ideals of Christian agape through service and good counsel to those in distress. Memorial donations may be made to St. John's Episcopal Church or the American Cancer Society. Carolina Funeral & Cremation Center is entrusted.