Daniel "Dan" E. Lane

Daniel “Dan” E. Lane, age 62, passed away peacefully with is family by his side on Sunday, November 15, 2020. Dan was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on January 3, 1958, to Victor and Helen Lane. He was the seventh bundle of joy what would become eight in the Lane family. In 1968, when Dan was 10 years old, the family moved to a dairy farm in Fall Creek, Wisconsin. Dan worked hard caring for all the animals and loved being close to his cousins and siblings. He loved everything about baseball and football and was an excellent student. Dan graduated from Fall Creek High School in May of 1976. He later moved in with his sister, Bobbie, in Prescott, Wisconsin, and began going to college in River Falls, Wisconsin, and working for Smead Manufacturing Company in Hastings, Minnesota. In October 1976, Dan met the love of his life and his best friend, Patsy Werner. Dan and Patsy were married on May 3, 1980, in Colorado at his brother John’s house. To this union were born two children, Melissa Ann Lane and Jacob Daniel Lane. Dan was an amazing stay at home dad in the 1980’s while also attending Red Wing Vocational Technical Institute. He was selected as the Outstanding Student of the winter quarter during his tenure. He graduated from the Energy Systems Technology I Program and was hired by the State of Iowa in the summer of 1988. This led the family to Ankeny, Iowa, and two years later to Polk City, Iowa. Dan loved working for the Energy Bureau of the Department of Natural Resources. He was awarded the Employee of the Month award for all state employees and the family got to have lunch with the Governor of the State of Iowa in 1990. Dan continued his education and graduated from Des Moines Area Community College and became a Certified Energy Manager and a Certified Energy Procurement Professional. Dan wrote grants that led to energy savings around the state including getting more efficient lights for street lighting and traffic lights. Retirement came earlier to Dan than expected and to fill is time he ran for City Council for the City of Polk City in 2002. Dan loved Polk City and working with the council members and on various boards including the Library Board for Polk City and the Board of Directors for Metro Waste Authority. During the last few years of Dan’s tenure on the Polk City Council, he was passionate about connecting the bike paths that surround Polk City and was working with the Central Iowa Bicycle – Pedestrian Committee. He was a council member for 16 years. Dan and Patsy were blessed to take many trips to Isla Mujeres, their Mexican home away from home. He was able to share the island with his family and friends, taking his family there over Christmas and New Year’s and spending multiple months of February there with Patsy. Dan and Patsy purchased a travel trailer and were able to travel the Southwest, the West, see Civil War memorials, and camp with family and friends in many states. Dan and Patsy were able to add more states to their list as they completed their retirement dreams. Dan loved to drive and was most happy pulling the camper on another adventure. To say Dan was a Green Bay Packer fan is to put it mildly. When the franchise offered ownership, Dan jumped at the opportunity and even got to attend board meetings as a Green Bay Packer owner. He was still a son of Wisconsin and loved all sporting teams from the state. Dan got to experience multiple Milwaukee Brewers and Green Bay Packer games in person and never missed one on TV. He was a fan of history and never stopped learning and exploring. Everyone knows he was a huge fan of Jeopardy and could run a few categories himself. Dan was a very hard-working man and often had multiple jobs. He supported the American Legion Post 232 in Polk City. He would often ask people if they were a turtle? Because you bet your sweet ass he was. Dan was a very caring and kind man. He had quick wit, a great smile, and could tell a story or a joke with the best of them. He cared for family completely and felt for this world on such a deep level. Dan fought diabetes, gastroparesis, and leaky gut syndrome. He hoped that those suffering from the same will find comfort and a cure will come.

Dan was preceded in death by his parents, Victor and Helen Lane, his father-in-law, Darrell Werner, his sister, Connie McCoy, his sister-in-law, Nancy Werner, his god-daughter, Danielle Pettis, his nieces, Amber and Andrea Eikman, and many beloved friends.

Those left to carry on Dan’s memory are his beloved wife, Patsy Lane of Polk City; children, Melissa Lane of Polk City, Jacob (Laura Vaughn) Lane of Coon Rapids; his mother-in-law, Carol Werner of Lake George, Minnesota; his brother, John (Kathy) Lane of Aurora, Colorado; his sisters, Trish (Denny) Streveler of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Phyllis (Greg) Pettis of Huron, South Dakota, Jackie Lane of Menomonee, Wisconsin, Bobbie (Fred) Winkler of Prescott, Wisconsin, Judy (Mike) Sedahl of Altoona, Wisconsin; his brothers-in-law, Dan Werner of Lake George, Minnesota, Neil McCoy of Sun City West, Arizona; 16 nieces and nephews, many great nieces and nephews, and many close friends, cousins, and extended family.

There will be a celebration of life planned by the family in the spring.

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