RAPID CITY | Rapid City lost its number one booster Sept 9, 2016. Tom Lane died at age 90, surrounded by love. Tom was born in Rapid City on April 8, 1926. He grew up "in the country" right behind the old Rapid City high school. Graduating from high school a year early because of WWII, he soon found out that a knee injury from a fall years earlier would wash him out of the service. Tom dreamt of becoming an architect, but had no money, so he started at the School of Mines. With several "work" breaks Tom finished three years but never earned his degree (damned chemistry!). A life-long booster of Tech, Tom was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters after delivering the winter commencement address in 1986.

After the war, Tom went to work for Western Airlines. During these ten years he met, courted, then married a young speech therapist from Iowa named Patsy Kelly. They managed fifty-nine years together before Pat died of cancer in 2009. Together they produced seven healthy, successful children and spoiled twenty grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

Tom started in the airline industry but left the airlines after ten years to partner in an up-start insurance agency with Howard Kluthe. In 35 years of successfully serving the insurance needs of Western SD, he also served on a number of local/national boards and local/regional government positions. Tom was president of the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce during the 72' Flood, elected to a term on the Rapid City Common Council, and in 1979 was president of the SD State Chamber of Commerce. He served on the boards that built the Regional Hospital, Regional Airport, Mount Rushmore Society (VP during the $40 mil renovation), Dahl Fine Arts Center, and YMCA,- served almost 20 years on the board of Black Hills Corp, was vice president of the Nat'l. Assoc. of Ind. Agents and represented the bishop on the West River Catholic School Board. Tom was also heavily involved in Knights of Columbus, the Boy Scouts, Lions Club, RC Builder's Exchange, Board of the RC Econ. Dev. Foundation, Trustee of N. College of Business, Board of Westhills Village, CASA, and Hospice of BH.

Anticipating retirement, Tom and Pat entered a formation program. In 1985, he was ordained a permanent deacon in the Catholic Church, a ministry they continued together for another twenty years.

Tom always loved hunting, fishing, and camping, raising his children to appreciate the natural beauty around them. In 1969, Tom purchased a small motel in tiny Silver City, just two miles downstream from where his grandfather first filed a mining claim in 1907. This was a "working" summer home. For thirty years, Silver Mountain Lodge enriched family and friends alike, hosting weddings, anniversaries, parties, reunions, and leaving the entire family richer in new friends and deeper in love for each other.

Tom loved to travel. So did Pat, just as long as she didn't have to sleep in a tent on the ground. To get Pat to participate in his travel bug, and to get the whole family to travel together, Tom bought his first motorhome in 1965. It was a 1954 Ford school bus, converted to a camper. This was the first of six motorhomes he and Pat owned, travelling from coast to coast, all over the continent, even wintering in Arizona for a few years.

When travel was no longer as easy or fun as it once was, Tom and Pat turned to senior living. Westhills Village was the choice for them. They had SO MANY friends there already! Having already downsized three times, it wasn't that big a transition to independent living at Westhills fifteen years ago. With Pat's death, Tom's cognitive state declined steadily and he spent a few years in assisted living before the last 10 months in the nursing home, all under the fabulous care of Westhills Village staff, to whom the family will always be grateful.

Tom is survived by sons Kelly (Becky) Lane and Tim Lane, both of RC, Mary (Joe) McElroy of PA, and Michaela (Rick) Duprey, Fr. Brian Lane, and Jim Lane, all of RC, 20 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and one brother-in-law. He was preceded in death by his wife, Pat, one daughter, Bridget Hansen, and two siblings, Michaela Younghein and Mary Pat Bielmaier, and brother-in-law Sam Younghein.

A visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, followed by Christian Wake Service at the Cathedral at 7 p.m.

There will be a Christian Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Tues., Sept. 13, at the Cathedral with Bishop Robert Gruss presiding. A luncheon will be held following the Mass. Burial is in Mount Calvary Cemetery following lunch.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any memorial contributions be made to your personal favorite charity in Tom's name.