Wallace Elwin Lane

Wallace E. "Wally" Lane a 60 year resident of Moses Lake passed away on August 3rd with 5 of his 9 children by his side.

Wally was born on September 30, 1922 to Clarence "Breezy" and Elverda "Dutch" Lane in Everett, Washington. Wally was one of four children with brothers Pat and Jerry and sister Beverly. As a young child he moved to Three Forks, Montana. In Montana he learned lessons on work ethic. He remembered the Great Depression, the stock market collapse and the subsequent poverty that gripped the nation, it was the most traumatic thing that influenced his life.

Montana also brought Wally the love of his life, Patricia "Pat" Ruggles. They met when she was a freshman and he was a junior in high school. He was an athlete, playing on the Three Forks basketball team that went to state three years in a row, and not too interested in academics. He claims he didn't get "smart" until he was 50. They were married on November 7th 1943.

After Wally and Pat were married, as he was in the Navy, they were stationed at Moffett Airbase. Wally was a blimp pilot and eventually volunteered to be a navigator. During WW2 he was always stationed stateside and did his best to support his country. One of his favorite things he learned while in the Navy was to play bridge. Which he played all of his life.

A month and a half after Wally and Pat were married Pat was pregnant with their first child, Mike. Daughter Judy and twins Jan and Jon were soon followed by twins Christie and Cathie. (On their 5th anniversary they had 6 children) When Jim was born Wally thought it would be a great idea to move to the Columbia Basin and put in to the veterans drawing for land. They moved to Block 40, and slept that first night in a tent which blew down. Soon neighbors came by and had a barn raising. Those friendships forged in the rocky sagebrush were lifelong bonds. Dusty and Bobby completed the family while in Moses Lake.

Wally worked many jobs, and felt blessed that he rarely ever hated to go to work. He worked as a journeyman carpenter and then foreman for the majority of his career and retired at 62. After retirement he picked up golf which he played until earlier this spring. He even had a hole in one in Death Valley many years ago.

Wally was an authentic man. He never hesitated to tell you how he saw the world. He invested wisely from his first job on and was vested in the success of businesses. Heart to heart conversations were important to him and many will remember him being completely genuine.

He worked hard. But he loved even harder. Pat was the love of his life. His children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and his great great granddaughter were his pride and joy. He didn't know how he and Pat were so lucky to have such good kids. He always believed it was because they had such a loving and supportive relationship. This was demonstrated so clearly as he died only 6 days after Pat.

Love. Family. Hard work. These are the words that sum up Wally Lane. His legacy is strong and he will not be forgotten.

Wally is survived by his nine children: Mike (Marcia) Lane, Judy (Jim) Cleveland, Jon(Carol) Lane, Jan (Bill) Woodley, Cathie (Mike) Ball, Christie (John) Thomas, Jim (Sue) Lane, Dusty (Debbie) Lane, Bobby (Cathy) Lane. Along with all her Grands and Greats!

Services will be on Monday, August 11th at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. Rosary at 10:00- and a Funeral Mass at 11:00. Internment will be at Our Lady of Fatima Columbarium.

A Lane family scholarship fund has been established at Big Bend Community College Foundation to support students who struggle to afford a College Education.