Donald Jerry Lane

Donald Lane was a beautiful person inside and out. He was born in Charlotte, NC in 1969, the middle child and first son to Donna and Gerald Lane. His path sent him to NC State for a year before matriculating at the US Naval Academy in 1988. He graduated from the USNA in 1992. Coming from a family of marines, he considered pursuing this, but his love of sailing also pulled him toward Surface Warfare. Ultimately, he chose a career in medicine and completed medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in 1996.

He met his future bride, Darii, over a lab table in Gross Anatomy at medical school and, other than one deployment, stayed close by her for the next 31 years. While serving his country was one of his greatest honors, being a husband and father was his priority. His Air Force wife successfully persuaded him to transfer to the US Air Force to keep their family together, much to the chagrin of his USNA roots. Don completed his pediatric residency at DGMC, Travis AFB in 1999. From then on, he was entrusted with the care of military children, a career he held very sacred to his heart. He was stationed in Missouri, Alaska, South Carolina, Virginia and Texas and held many positions of leadership, in addition to being a clinician.

Don was also an amazing leader, modeling integrity and love for everyone around him. His aim was to leave the world a little better than he found it, doing so humbly and never motivated by accolades. However, his true gifts were as a superior clinician. His motivation was to keep all children healthy, body and mind, and excelled at finding their strengths and mentoring to them. He retired from the US Air Force in 2016 and continued caring for military children as a civilian pediatrician until 2022.

He spent the last 4 years of his life fighting cancer, having watched his son, Aidan, succumb to the same beast in 2010. Don went into the battle with a strong will but, in spite of all his pain and suffering, never stopped believing that God is good all the time. God granted him patience and hope during these struggles. His father, Gerald, and son, Aidan, preceded him in death. He is survived by his loving wife, Darii, and 2 sons, Benrey and Seth, who will miss him every day of their lives. He is also survived by his mother, Donna, sisters Lori and Sue, and brothers Todd and Alex.

Don loved God with all his heart and remained a beacon of hope, humor and love for all those around him. He was and remains a pied piper to family, friends, and especially children, always up for a new adventure. The world is a little less bright with his passing. His was an example of a life well lived.

Don,

You have fought the good fight, you have finished the race, you have kept the faith; now there is in store for you the crown of righteousness.

Fair winds and following seas, my love.

A Celebration of Life will take place on January 6, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Parklawn Wood Funeral Home located at 2551 N. Armistead Ave, Hampton VA, 23666

If you are unable to join us in person, please feel free to join us on facebook live

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