Cutler-O'Neill-Meyer-Woodring Funeral Home

Frank M. Lane, who rose from a high school correspondent to managing editor of The Council Bluffs Nonpareil and went on to a second career in real estate, died Tuesday, May 17, 2016.

He was born in Council Bluffs June 13, 1919, to Samuel and Lillian (Scheuermann) Lane, and was a lifelong resident of this city.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers: James Earl Lane, Harold Lee Lane; brothers and sisters-in-Iaw: Charles and Lois Lane, Samuel and Thelma Lane; sisters and brothers-in-law: Inez and Albert Peterson, Kathryn and Mark Anthony; uncle Elmer C. Lane, who was a former Council Bluffs Chief of Police; nephews: Dr. Tony Anthony, Ronald Lane, Mark Lane, James Lane; nieces: Virginia Doyel and Beverly Ryan.

He is survived by: his wife Carole, who he met and wed while both were employed by The Nonpareil, (they would have been married 67 years in September); daughter, Deborah McQuigg and husband Gary of Council Bluffs; two grandsons: Chris Knox of Council Bluffs, Tim Knox of La Vista, NE, nieces: Linda Johnson of Las Vegas, NV; Judy Holtmyer of Duncan, OK; Mary Gillespie of Columbia, MO; Prudy Deck of Sioux City, IA; Marcia Starmer of Council Bluffs; nephew, Chuck Lane of Colorado Springs, CO.

Lane, who was presented the first Lifetime Achievement Award of Journalism by the University of Nebraska at Omaha, had "printers ink" in his blood. This was the written word of the late Harry Mauck, Jr., who hired Lane and was his boss for 30 years. Mauck recommended Lane as his successor to the managing editor's position. Lane ended up working about 50 years at the Nonpareil. As city and managing editor, Lane helped train many young journalists who advanced to high positions on other publications, including two Pulitzer Award winners.

He attended the University of Missouri for one semester before becoming police reporter for The Nonpareil. He had advanced to sports editor before enlisting in the Army Air Corps during World War II.

Lane started three military publications: "Prop-Wash" at Superior (Wis.) State Teachers College where he was briefly stationed with the Air Corps; "Battalion News" at Will Rogers Field in Oklahoma City; and "Super-Fort" in India, which served Air Corps personnel in the CBI (China-Burma-India) theater of operations. "Super-Fort," named after the B-29 bombers that brought Japan to the surrender table, was selected as the best over-seas off-set military newspaper in the combined armed forces of the United States. It originated with the 20th Bomber Command in India and moved to Okinawa when the Eighth Air Force was transferred there from Europe. For this publication, Lane was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

After the war, Lane returned to the Nonpareil as municipal affairs reporter, then advanced through the ranks to managing editor, from which position he retired in 1984.

He was active in state and national news groups. He helped organize and served as its second president of the former City Editors Conference which met annually at the University of Iowa, where editors from four states attended. He was the 1974 Iowa chairman of the Associated Press Managing Editors Association. Lane was one of 27 city editors from large and small newspapers in the United States to attend the American Press Institute at Columbia University in New York City, serving as group leader.

While on the Nonpareil, Lane was co-founder of Operation Pride and honored as the co-grand marshal (with then Police Chief Ed Dinovo) of the Pride Week Parade in 1984. He served on the Pride board of directors for many years. He also founded the Vandalism Prevention Committee, composed of business executives, police, and school officials.
After leaving The Nonpareil, Lane became a real estate agent, graduating from the Real Estate Institute and then earning the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation. Lane retired from the N.P. Dodge Real Estate Co. in 1996.

As a youth, he participated in many sports. He was shortstop on the American Legion team which won the state championship in 1935.

Lane formerly served as president and longtime board member of the Councii Bluffs Goodfellows. Lane was an elder at the former First Presbyterian Church (now New Horizon Presbyterian Church), and belonged to the American Legion, Rainbow Post #2 for 50 years. He was a former member of: Omaha Press Club, serving on the board of directors, Fish & Game Club, Elks Lodge, Lakeshore Country Club, Associated Press Managing Editors Assoc., Greater Council Bluffs Board of Realtors, state and national Realtor groups, and Toastmasters.

Lane was inducted to the Abraham Lincoln High School Hall of Fame in 2008. He was a craftsman, working in woods. He was a voracious reader, reading three newspapers a day and many library books.