I learned today that Professor Dick Lane had died. Actually he died back on December 5, 2019 at the age of 81 and I think of cancer. He was my archaeology/anthropology professor at St. Cloud State University. I took many archaeology classes from him and he was funny and a bit curmudgeonly. He had very strong opinions about archaeology and people in it. I recall he had an ongoing war with the cable company because his house was in a ‘Bermuda triangle area’ and he could not get services from anyone. I also remember a story about him putting a dead fish in someone office multiple times because he hated the person and a vague idea about why he did not get his PhD. I mentioned to him as I was getting ready to graduate that I was going to take some art history classes at the UMN and his response was ‘why’? He did not like art historians, he said they were too obsessed with pots. After I graduated and went on a trip with my sister to Bolivia, I brought him back a bottle of Bolivian beer. He was happy that I remembered his love of beer.
The blurb from Legacy.com and St. Cloud Times from Dec. 9 to Dec. 11, 2019 reads:
Richard Lane
“On Thursday, December 5, 2019 Richard (“Dick”) Bert Lane passed away at the age of 81. Dick was born on April 13, 1938 in Douglas, Wyoming to John and Alice (Smith) Lane. Dick received anthropology and archaeology degrees from the University of Wyoming, the University of New Mexico and the University of California at Santa Barbara. He conducted numerous historical archeological field studies in Canada before joining the faculty at St. Cloud State University where he was a professor of anthropology and where he met his wife Ginny (Hanauer). They married in 1970. During his 30+ years (1968-1999) at St. Cloud State, he established the university’s archaeological field school, which recently celebrated its 50 year anniversary. He was also one of the founding faculty of the University’s branch campus in Akita, Japan.
In addition to his academic work, Dick was a man of many interests and talents. He had a passion for music, especially opera, loved the sport of hockey and was an avid reader. After retiring, he enjoyed playing a variety of musical instruments in the St. Cloud Municipal Band and the St. Cloud Husky Sports Band. He was also a member of the Cold Spring Maennerchor, with whom he sang locally and on a European tour.
Dick always demonstrated the highest integrity and was a positive influence in the lives of many students, colleagues, friends and family. He was known for his quick wit and his kind and compassionate spirit.
Dick was preceded in death by his father, John and his mother, Alice. He is survived by his wife Ginny, brother John (Jack) Lane, sisters-in-law Patricia (Lane) and Karen (Hanauer), brother-in-law Thomas (Hanauer), mother-in-law Jan (Hanauer) and eight nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life is planned for a later date.” (https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sctimes/obituary.aspx?n=richard-lane&pid=194670114).