FREDERICK STANLEY LANE, II, age 90, of Hingham, died on March 21, 2005 at Life Care Center of the South Shore in Scituate after a brief illness. He was born on January 16th, 1915 in Cumberland, Maryland, the son of Clifford W. and Edith P. (Mott) Lane. Raised in Foxborough, MA, he was educated in the Foxborough public schools and graduated from Amherst College magna cum laude in 1936, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Theta Delta Chi Fraternities.
After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1939, he joined the Boston law firm of Nutter, McClennen & Fish. He soon developed particular interest in real estate law and went on to become a nationally known expert in that field. He became a senior partner in the law firm in 1951, where he ultimately chaired the Real Estate and Finance Department and was a member of the firm's Executive Committee for many years. Mr. Lane retired from the firm in 1990, after 51 years of distinguished service to his clients, partners and professional colleagues.
During World War II, Mr. Lane entered the Navy in 1942 and spent most of his service in the Pacific, being honorably discharged in 1946 with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. (USNR).
He was a member of the Bar Associations of both Boston and Massachusetts and was especially active in the American Bar Association. In 1977, he was elected as Chair of the ABA's Section on Real Property, Probate and Trust Law. He was a founding member and first president (1978-81) of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), which established the "Frederick S. Lane Award" in his honor in recognition of exceptional service by ACREL members to the public, the profession and the College.
Mr. Lane was also a founding member and first Chairman (1982-83) of the Anglo-American Real Property Institute, an international legal organization. In 1979, he was honored to have delivered the Blundell Memorial lecture to British barristers at the Inns of Court in London.
Among the many positions he held, Mr. Lane was President (1968-70) of the Massachusetts Conveyancers Association, which awarded him the Richard B. Johnson Memorial Award in 1981. Mr. Lane took an active role in other professional organizations, including the New England Land Title Association, the Abstract Club (President, 1981) and the Social Law Library in Boston, where he was a past Trustee. He enjoyed memberships in the Union Club, Harvard Club, the Fly Casters Club (President, 1978-80) and "The Powder River Stomping and Chanting Society" of which he was a founding member and President. During his long legal career, he contributed articles to several professional journals and was editor of the book, "Real Estate in the Mid-Century."(1973)
His interests outside his career were numerous and included fly-fishing, photography, stamp collecting, books, and especially traveling all over the world with his beloved wife, Barbara. Over the years, he served the town of Hingham in several civic capacities and chaired committees at the Old Ship Church. His love of fishing and books led him to develop an extensive personal library of fishing books, which he donated to Amherst College. He took great pleasure in serving on the Board of the Council of Friends of Amherst College Library, where he gave generously of his time and resources.
In addition to his wife of 62 years, Barbara (Bentley) Lane of Hingham, Mr. Lane is survived by his four children; C. Warren Lane, II of Plymouth, MA, Martha Lane of Walworth, NY, Susan Herley of San Rafael, CA, and, Jeffery Lane of Honeoye Falls, NY; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; his brother, Calvin Lane of Mystic, CT; and several nieces and nephews.
A private interment service at the Hingham Cemetery was held in March, with arrangements by the Downing Cottage Funeral Chapel, Hingham. A Memorial Service will take place on Saturday, June 4th, 2005 at 2:00 PM in the Old Ship Church,
90 Main St., Hingham, MA.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to "The Friends of Amherst College Library" and sent to The Librarian of the College, Amherst College, P.O. Box 5000,Amherst, MA 01022.