Grady C. Lane

Grady Lane was born in a small town in North Carolina, Franklinton,on April 20, 1921. He was one of 8 children, 4 boys and 4 girls, and was next to the youngest, between his one surviving sister, Nellie who is now 94 and in a nursing home with Alzheimer's and Mack a younger brother who just died about 2 months ago of Alzheimer's. Grady came to the Washington D.C. area after high school to find work as there was none in NC - he had a variety of jobs from working at Palais Royal in the shoe department to working at a Little Tavern -Grady was trying to establish himself in a new city. He met Doris, his wife, through mutual friends and they (obviously) hit it off - so shortly thereafter, within a year or so they were married on March 8, 1941, in a snowstorm at St. Frances DeLasalle Catholic Church in Northeast Washington, D.C. Their first daughter, Sandra Lee, was born October 15, 1941. War was declared December, 1941 but since Grady had a child he was not called in right away. Eventually his turn came and he went off to war, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, surely one of the greatest experiences of his life. He returned to his wife and daughter and to their home they'd already purchased on 38th Avenue in Hyattsville, MD. After the war, his second daughter was born, Sally Stephanie, September 22,1947 and Jack Long, his brother-in-law, got him a job at O.S. Peters as a machinist. Grady worked as a machinist there and then later at Litton Industries while also working part-time for Jack, who had now started his own fence business, United Fence Company. When Jack decided to go into the manufacturing end of the business United Fence was sold to Grady and he worked as a business owner for the next 30 years alongside his wife, Doris, who served as Office Manager. Grady, Doris, Sandy and Sally lived on 38th Avenue till Sandy's marriage to Bill Tylor who worked for Grady for more than 15 years - Grady, Doris and Sally eventually moved to College Park Estates, and moved less than a year later to University Park where he resided until going to Charlotte Hall Veteran's Home 3 1/2 years ago because of Alzheimer's. Grady was an avid golfer; they belonged to Prince George's Country Club where they both enjoyed the amenities of the Club with their family members and friends. He and Doris had a great social life and they belonged to the Lion's Club where they enjoyed many of the affairs the club offered and were friends with many members. Both Grady and Doris held offices within the Lion's Club. After 30 years, and changing times, Grady eventually sold his business to his son-in-law, Bill Tylor, and then worked for Capitol Cadillac and later Fields' Buick until retiring. Grady and Doris both had 6 grandchildren, Craig, Cindy, Colleen, Scott, Carrie and Amy. Their one grandchild, Russell Scott, was raised by them. Grady is also survived by 8 great grandchilren.