Charles Tom Lane

LANE, MILLER, FILLOON, HOLLANDER

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 6/6/2006 at 10:12:27

Earlham Library Obituary Collection
October 2002

C. Tom Lane, 52, of the 3600 block of Oak Creek Place in West Des Moines died of cancer Wednesday at Kavanagh House on Grand in West Des Moines. The body was donated to University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City. No services are planned. A memorial gathering and dance for family and friends will be from 6 to 10 p.m. Nov. 3 at Lake Robbins Ballroom in Woodward.

Mr. Lane was born in Earlham and had moved to the Des Moines area 30 years ago. He was a professional saxaphone and woodwind musician and had played and traveled with numerous local and nationally known bands during his career. He was an orchestra manager for the Des Moines Playhouse and taught private music lessons and workshops. He will be posthumously awarded the Des Moines Jazz Hall of Fame Special Achievement Award this month. He enjoyed golf, travel and antiques.

He is survived by his mother, Donna Lane Miller of Stuart; a brother, Dean of Earlham; and three sisters, Stella Lane of Des Moines, Donna Filloon of Phoenix and LaVona Hollander of Fairfield.
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Des Moines Register – October 2002

C. Tom Lane, 52, a long time saxophone and woodwind musician from Des Moines, died October 9 at Kavanagh House on Grand in West Des Moines. Tom donated his body to the University of Iowa College of Medicine. A memorial dance will be held for his family and friends at Lake Robbins Ballroom, Woodward on Sunday November 3 from 6:00 until 10:00 p.m.

Tom was born in Earlham, IA January 30, 1950, to Bud and Donna Belle Lane. He started his profession music career in 1969 with the 97th Army Band in Fort Sill, OK. After military service, he returned to Des Moines to play with Don Hoy, Everett Boyer, Bobby Layne, Bob Smith, Dwayne Mueller, Lonnie Lynn, Conrad Johns, and other territorial bands.

Tom traveled and played with orchestras of Glenn Miller, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Russ Morgan, Guy Lombardo, Jan Garber, Shirley Jones, Roger Williams, The Four Aces, Myron Floren, the Barnam & Bailey Circus, The Ice Show and the Sport Show. His career in rock ‘n roll bands included local groups Antelon, Midwest Express, Chaser and Freestyle. Some of the nationally known rock ‘n roll stars he traveled and worked with through the Hot Rod Chevy Kevy Band included Chubby Checker, Frankie Avalon, Lou Christie, Leslie Gore, Tommy Roe, Four Tops, Temptations, The Marvelettes, The Chiffons, Mary Williams, Manhattan Transfer, The Drifters, The Coasters, Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, Little Peggy March and Little Eva.

He was orchestra manager of the Des Moines Community Playhouse for 18 years, played most of the Variety Club Telethons and played in the Des Moines Big Band. Tom performed with his own jazz quartet the “C Tom Lane Jazz Quartet” for Des Moines’ Jazz in July many years and with several other jazz groups in the area. He also gave private lessons and several workshops in local high schools and colleges. This month Tom will be awarded the Des Moines Jazz Hall of Fame Special Achievement Award.

In the last few years, Tom also performed on several sea cruises in the Caribbean, the Panama Canal and, most recently, the Hawaiian Islands. While not pursuing his career that he loved, Tom enjoyed golf, traveling and antiquing.

Tom is survived by his mother Donna Belle Lane Miller of Stuart; a brother Dean Lane and his wife Connie of Earlham; three sisters, Stella Lane of Des Moines; Donna Filoon and husband Larry of Phoenix, AZ, and LaVona Hollander and husband Jim of Fairfield; seven nieces; 2 nephews; Tom’s special friend and companion Dixie Banks of Des Moines and many friends. His father Bud Lane preceded him in death.

Transcriber note: Tom graduated from Earlham High School in 1969. Full name taken from gravestone.

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