Our beloved Carlo C. Lane departed this life on Monday, June 11, 2018. Son of a Baptist minister, he was born in Jacksonville, FL on August 14, 1922 to Rev. Charles C. and Rebecca (Allen) Lane.
Carlo was raised in Newtonville and Vineland, NJ and attended Vineland High School in Vineland, NJ. After high school, Carlo moved to Philadelphia, PA working for Nelman Steel Equipment Co., Inc. as a drill operator, power press operator and spot welder until April 1943 when he was inducted into active duty service with the United States Army. As a World War II veteran, Carlo served in the United States and France until his unit demobilized in 1946 serving in the 679th Tank Destroyer Battalion.
During his tour, he received Expert Military Qualifications Driver’s and Marksmanship badges and also received Good Conduct, American Campaign, Meritorious Unit Award, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Stars, and World War II Victory Medal commendations. After an honorable discharge, Carlo returned to Philadelphia, resuming employment with Nelman Steel and becoming active in local community elections as an elected Judge in his local 26th Division of Ward 20. He was also an active member of the Corinthian Lodge #114 of the M.W. Prince Hall Grand Hall Lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania, and as a WWII Veteran, he joined the National Tank Destroyer Association.
He continued his educational pursuits and enrolled in the Booker T. Trade School, obtaining Upholstering certification, followed by subsequent enrollment and graduation from the Pennsylvania Institute of Criminology with concentrated studies in Criminology and Penology, Fingerprinting and Identification, and Scientific Crime Detection. After receiving his diploma, Carlo left Nelman to begin his career at the United States Post Office where he worked for over thirty years, beginning as a mail clerk. After receiving continued official commendations and certificates of award for Special Achievement and Superior Accomplishment due to his contributions resulting in increased operational efficiencies in his department, Carlo advanced to Group Leader and eventually Floor Supervisor prior to retirement.
United in holy matrimony to Norma L. (Covington), they became parents to one daughter and moved to Moorestown, NJ where they lived for ten years. Upon moving to New Jersey, the family joined Second Baptist Church and Carlo enjoyed an active church life as a choir member and member of the Finance Committee, Trustee Board, and church volunteer. He continued to actively participate in local community and school activities including the Newcomer’s Club and the local Burlington County PTA.
Carlo also had an avid passion for camping, boating, and motorcycles and enjoyed regularly attending motorcycle races with his local motorcycle club. Upon his Civil Service retirement, Carlo moved his family to Lehigh, FL in 1977, where he again engaged in the local, school, and church communities. He was a long-time Lee County School System-Transportation Department employee serving as a school bus driver and subsequently crossing guard, roles he enjoyed for almost twenty years.
He was an ardent Riverdale High School supporter and Band Booster, always requesting special bus route assignments whenever the band or football team had travel events so that he could drive and help chaperone those Riverdale Raider activities. Even after his daughter’s high school graduation from Riverdale, Carlo continued to support the school and band activities and continued to receive certificates of appreciation for his volunteer service. As a member of First Baptist Church, Carlo volunteered in many capacities, including volunteering and serving with the church food bank, and he eagerly enjoyed any opportunity to drive the church van or bus, particularly for the Youth Group activities.
When he wasn’t enjoying a pot-luck dinner at church or a football game at Riverdale, Carlo spent his time as a community volunteer with REACT, helping to promote neighborhood security. After marrying Deborah K. (Childs) Lane approximately thirty years ago, Carlo continued to enjoy the comradery of fun, friends, and fellowship. He enjoyed his daily breakfast club gatherings with the school bus drivers, and upon his retirement from the Lee County School system, he bonded with his close circle of friends, affectionately known as “The Boys”, with whom he continued to enjoy his daily breakfast/brunch socials.
As long as his health allowed, Carlo continued his community volunteerism, celebrated Veteran’s activities, and remained active with his First Baptist Church family. With love and respect of family and friends, Carlo leaves to rejoice in his life: his wife, Debbie; her daughter, Monica (Gary); son, Jackson; grandchildren, Gary, Jr. (Celeste), Steven, Julia, and Gianna; and great-granddaughter, Alaysha; his daughter, Rochelle; son-in-law, Bill; grandsons, Trey and Quinn; nieces Sherrie, Tracey, Dee-Dee; nephews Andre and Calvin; and a host of cousins, family, and friends. Carlo’s younger brother, James Weldon Lane; father, Charles Lane, Sr.; mother, Rebecca Allen; stepmother, Melvinnie Lane; nieces, Toni and Andrea; and nephews, Curtis and Warner precede him in death.
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