Funeral Directors

Joseph O. Lane, who was born Dec. 3, 1924, was best known as the president and fourth-generation owner of Lane Funeral Homes,Inc. Under this role, he received many awards, including Ohio Funeral Directors Association 50-year Service Award in 2002 and the Pursuit of Excellence Award from the National Funeral Directors Association in 1981.

The son of Joseph B. and Hallie Cline Lane, he was also the president of Lane LifeTrans Paramedic Ambulance and the Lane Monument Company. He served on the board of directors of the Farmers National Bank of Canfield for 34 years.

Lane was a 1942 graduate of Mineral Ridge High School, where he was salutatorian of his class. He received his bachelor's degree from the College of Wooster in 1949 and his mortuary science degree from the Cleveland College of Mortuary Science in 1950, where he was class president. During high school and college, he was a three-sport letterman playing basketball, football and baseball. He also served his country in the U.S. Army during WWII, playing basketball for the 102th Infantry Division team and was named All-League Member of the 406th Infantry football team.

Over the years, he consistently sponsored sports teams of all ages for football, baseball, softball, track and bowling. He was the Ohio Kiwanis District singles bowling champion in 1968 and 1972. He was inducted into the Mahoning Valley Bowling Hall of Fame in 1988. Lane was also inducted into the Austintown Girl's Softball Hall of Fame and Mahoning Valley Bowling Sponsor's Hall of Fame. In 2002, he received the Curbstone Coach's Lifetime Achievement Award. Lane was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Mineral Ridge for 63 years, where he served as Deacon and was a Life Elder, Austintown Growth Foundation, Austintown Historical Society, the Austintown Township Hall of Fame in 1983, the Niles Historical Society, the Aut Mori Grotto, St. Johns Commandery No. 020 Knights Templar, the Order of White Shrine of Jerusalem, the Youngstown Shrine Club, St. David's Society of Youngstown, the Independent Order of Oddfellows, the Knights of Pythias, American Legion, Canfield Harness Horse Association, Ohio Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors Association and was a life member of the VFW Post No. 4192 in Mineral Ridge.

Lane served as past president of the Tri-County Funeral Directors Association, and he organized and was the first president of the Mineral Ridge Volunteer Fire Department. He was also a 32nd degree Mason. He was a highly decorated WWII U.S. Army combat veteran receiving a battlefield commission at age 19 in Aptweiler, Germany. He was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and Purple Heart with Cluster while serving with Company K of the 406th Regiment, 102nd Infantry Division. He was discharged as a first lieutenant in 1946. He was a member of the National Order of Battlefield Commissions and received a diploma award from the French authorities relating to the liberation of France during WWII.

Lane was past Lt. Gov. and president of the Austintown Kiwanis Club, where he also served as Ohio district chairman. In 1997, he received the George F. Hixon Award as an outstanding Kiwanian. He was the International Interclub Chairman for 50 years and was honored by the city of Orillia, Ontario, Canada for his dedication to continued interaction between the Kiwanis Club of Austintown and the Kiwanis Club of Orillia.

In 2000, he made a gift to Weathersfield Township Schools to launch the construction of the Joe Lane Sports Complex, a 2,500 seat stadium and field, which was dedicated in 2001. Lane served as toastmaster at many functions throughout the Mahoning Valley.

He died Saturday, June 22, 2002, at his residence from congestive heart failure following a fivemonth illness. Lane's devotion to family and friends and his commitment to the community will be greatly missed.

A 1970 Graduate of Mineral Ridge High School, Mr. Lane graduated from Adrian College in 1974 receiving a degree in business administration, with a second major in philosophy & religion. He then attended the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, graduating in 1975 and returning to Ohio to work with the family businesses.

Following graduation from college and mortuary school he became a licensed Emergency Medical Technician and instructor for the State of Ohio, Dept of vocational education and later a paramedic and advanced cardiac life support instructor. He developed the original Lane Ambulance service into the current Lane Life TRANS paramedic ambulance.

He received a Juris Doctor Degree from Akron University in 1984, and was admitted to the Ohio Bar in the same year as a practicing attorney. In 1994 he established Lane & Rusu Co., a Legal Professional Association with law offices in Canfield, Austintown, Warren and Mineral Ridge. He is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, The Ohio State Bar Association, American Bar Association and the Mahoning and Trumbull County Bar Associations.

As a frequent speaker and lecturer on aging and elder law issues, he co-authored a book entitled, Smart Planning for Life and Death.

In 1984 he was one of the original founders of Tracktime Performance Driving Schools where he helped to develop safety and performance driving schools at race track facilities around the country. During his involvement with Tracktime he helped to develop the high speed driving course for Ohio police officers and worked with major auto companies in various capacities for promotion and research. Having sold his interest in Tracktime in 1990, he continues to be involved in sports car road racing and driver education activities , at facilities such as Mid-Ohio, Nelsons Ledges, Watkins Glen , Lowes Motor Speedway and most recently, Pittsburgh International Raceway ( Pittrace) in nearby Beaver, PA.. Besides being president and CEO of the Lane Funeral Homes, Inc., he seved on the Board of directors of Farmers National Bank of Canfield for over 15 years, and also served on the board of the non-profit organizations -H.E.R.S., (Humanitarian Education and Relief Services, Inc.) and the Joseph O. Lane Foundation. He is a member of the Civil War Preservation Trust and the Friends of the National Park of Gettysburg, Pa. and enjoys spending time pursuing his interest in Civil War history through travel, research, and collecting Civil War art and memorabilia. He lives in Canfield Township with his wife, Andrea, and has four sons. Whenever he has the opportunity, he enjoys trail riding with his wife on their horses.

In addition to trail riding, one of his other past times is being active with The 6th Ohio Cavalry,, which is one of the premier mounted living history units in the country. Portraying mounted Civil War Cavalry, the unit is made up of members not only from Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Vermont and Canada, but other states as well. Activities involve school demonstrations, parades, and living history events at such places as the Gettysburg Military Park and the West Point Military Academy. Members have also appeared in various movie and TV productions portraying Civil War Cavalry.

He is also a member of The Northern Ohio Outlaws, a cowboy mounted shooting club, affiliated with the national organization known as the CMSA (Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association). Participants must dress the part of the "cowboy" and use period revolvers firing blanks, which break balloon targets while riding a designated course as fast as possible. There is also a specific cavalry class where the participants must dress as historic cavalry and use certain types of saddles and holsters consistent with the time era portrayed. Cowboy action shooting is one of the fastest growing equine sports in the country.