Clark A. Lane

Clark Albert Lane Jr., 83, of Humboldt passed away on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at the Humboldt Care Center South with UnityPoint Hospice after being admitted to the Humboldt County Memorial Hospital in early October.

Clark was born on March 24, 1937 at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Dodge. He was the only child of Clark Lane Sr. and Meta Fredericksen Lane and would be a lifelong resident of Humboldt. In his youth, Clark spent time outdoors at the family cottage on the West Fork of the Des Moines River. He loved fishing, boating, and was an avid hunter pursuing waterfowl and pheasants all over north central Iowa. While growing up Clark also worked at the family clothing store and was employed as a hand on his Uncle Jack Ford’s farm south of Gilmore City.

As a junior in high school, after having his mother sign an age waiver, Clark joined the Iowa Army National Guard and completed boot camp at Ft. Chaffee, Arkansas. Private Lane then attended radio operator school completing the training as an honor graduate. Upon graduation from Humboldt High School in 1955, Clark enrolled at the University of Iowa Business School majoring in marketing. Clark was a member of the Acacia fraternity and on a blind date he met Shirley Putney of rural Blackhawk County, a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. Clark and Shirley married on January 26, 1958 at the South Waterloo Church of the Brethren. They were married for 40 wonderful years until Shirley’s untimely death from cancer in 1998. As a couple they welcomed three children Deb, C.A. and Bill and raised them in the Lane family home in Humboldt.

After graduating from the University of Iowa in its first Marketing Class, Clark attended Officer Candidate School at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa. Upon completion, Clark received a joint commission as a Second Lieutenant in both the Iowa Army National Guard and the United States Army Reserve. He was assigned to a firing battery of the 194th Field Artillery in Algona. The young family then moved to Ft. Sill, Oklahoma where Lieutenant Lane attended the Field Artillery Basic Officers Leaders Course. Upon completion, Clark assumed command of the Headquarters Battery of the 1st Howitzer Battalion, 194th Field Artillery. Clark served his country for 13 years in the Guard and Reserve being honorably discharged in 1968 as a U.S. Army Captain.

After returning to Humboldt from Oklahoma, Clark took over management of the family business, Lane Clothing Company located on Humboldt’s Sumner Avenue. As a second-generation leader of the company, Clark was an active member in the community serving on the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Rotary President, Director of the Red Cross Disaster Action Program and a member of the Iowa Men’s Retail Clothing Association. He led fund raising efforts to replace the Reasoner Dam after a devastating flood and served on the Board of Trustees at the Humboldt Congregational United Church of Christ. Clark and his business partner Bob Thomas founded Lane Thomas Rentals. The business provided commercial real estate development for downtown Humboldt including construction and management of the Lane Clothing, Thomas Jewelers, Reminder, and Anthony buildings, all located on main street Sumner Avenue in Humboldt.

Clark passed on his lifelong love of the outdoors to his family with numerous camping trips and vacations to Minnesota. He treasured his bi-annual fishing trips to Lake of the Woods, Ontario, Canada and mule deer hunting in northeast Wyoming with friends and family.

In 1977 his son Bill was diagnosed with viral encephalitis causing life altering disabilities. Clark and Shirley were one of several founding families of a support group that became the Iowa Head Injury Association. Clark also served as a longtime board member of the organization. In addition, the couple worked with Camp Courageous of Monticello, Iowa to develop a needed weeklong program for those with head injuries. These organizations would provide support to Iowans and their families in the coming decades. Clark was nominated by Governor Branstad to serve on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Head Injuries. He also served on the State of Iowa Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Commission. His voice of advocacy was well respected and made a tremendous difference for those with brain injuries and their families.

With the sale of Lane Clothing Company, Clark would continue in local business working for New York Life and Amerus Life selling insurance and financial products in the local community. Clark loved taking trips to Colorado, Door County, Wisconsin and Clear Lake to visit family and enjoy the outdoors. He loved spending time with his longtime companion Carolyn Johnson, enjoyed going out to eat, and socializing with friends. He was fiercely proud of his grandchildren and a great joy for him was spending time with them at his home.

Clark is survived by his three children Deborah (Dr. James) Loux of Clear Lake, Iowa, C.A. (Tracy) Lane of Granby, Colorado and Bill Lane of Carroll, Iowa, four grandchildren Sarah Loux of Arlington, Virginia, Megan Loux of Grinnell, Iowa, Ryan Lane of Fort Collins, Colorado, and Emma Lane of Granby, Colorado. He is also survived by sister-in-law Kay Glessner of Appleton, Wisconsin, niece Ann Glessner of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin niece Holly Glessner and her husband Rich Kenyon of Longmont, Colorado.

Clark had a full life of joy and service; he possessed a great sense of humor and will be missed by his family, friends, and community. A memorial service will be planned for summer 2021. Inurnment will be in Union Cemetery, Humboldt. The Mason-Lindhart Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to The Family Fund at New Hope Village, PO Box 887, Carroll, IA 51401-0887; Camp Courageous, PO Box 418, Monticello, IA 52310; or the Congregational United Church of Christ, 111 North Taft Street, Humboldt, IA 50548.