James Otis Lane Jr., affectionately known as “Jim” to some and “Katie” to others, 77, of Chattanooga, passed away Monday, Jan. 14, 2008, in a local hospital.
He was a lifelong resident of Chattanooga; a veteran of the U.S. Army; a 1955 graduate of Howard High School where he lettered in football; and retired from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department where he was acknowledged as being the first African-American deputy sheriff in Chattanooga.
Jim’s parents, James Lane and Louella Lane Mitchell; stepmother, Dovie Lane; brothers, Bobby and Charles Henry Lane; sisters, Lovie Strickland and Dovie Preston, all preceded him in death.
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Revell Evans Lane; sons, Frank Taylor, of Ten Mile, Tn., Kenneth Taylor and Rodney Tanner, both of Chattanooga; grandchildren, Stanley McClendon, of Chattanooga, Maquita Taylor and Dionte’ Taylor, both of Lawrenceville, Ga.; three great-grandchildren; sisters, Loretta Lane, of Cleveland, Ohio, Gail Mitchell, of Baltimore, Md., Marion (Jimmie) Davis and Gwendolyn (James) Heard, both of Chattanooga; brothers, Larry Lane, of Cleveland, Ohio and Eric Lane, of Syracuse, N.Y.; sisters-in-law, Marie Jones, of Chattanooga, Lizzie Mae (Marion) Boyd, of Danville, Al., and Eva Ann (Orsten) Washington, of Elkmont, Al.; aunt, Annie Laura Lane, of Atlanta; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Funeral services will be on Friday at 11:30 a.m. at Prospect Baptist Church with Dr. Jay P. Trimble officiating. Burial will be in Chattanooga National Cemetery.
The body will lie in state Thursday after noon at Taylor Funeral Home.