Lana Brewer Boise

Lana Jean Brewer Boise, 80, of Charleston, South Carolina, passed away peacefully at home July 25, 2023. Born August 3, 1942, she was the daughter of the late Mabel Belcher Brewer and late Earl Brewer.

After spending time modeling in the Charleston area, Lana moved to Atlanta in the mid-1960s to become a bunny at the newly opened Playboy Club there. Her subsequent appearance in the August 1966 issue of Playboy caused quite the stir back home. She married David Boise in 1966 and began traveling nationwide with him while he toured with The Mitchell Trio, a national touring group featuring John Denver, later relocating with David to Manhattan. After the band dissolved following Denver’s departure in 1968, David was asked to join a group working with Liza Minelli, which led to extensive travel and a few national television appearances. Lana and Minelli became very good and quite mischievous friends, and Lana was often mistaken for Minelli since they both donned the same 1960s Vidal Sassoon haircut. Lana eventually stopped trying to explain she wasn’t Minelli and proffered a Minelli autograph when requested.

After she and David divorced, Lana stayed in Manhattan where she worked as a medical assistant in a chiropractic office until the mid-1980s when she returned home to Charleston. Following her mother’s death in 1987, Lana became the primary caregiver for her two beloved aunts, Nana and Nennie.

Lana, a lifelong Episcopalian, was a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in North Charleston and a long-standing member of the Daughters of the King. Her abiding faith was very important to her and helped her survive many trials during her life. She was indeed a survivor, and set a powerful example of a smart, self-assertive woman during a time when society wasn’t all that accepting of this behavior from females.

Lana is survived by her sister, Salley Lindsey Grosso, of Columbia, SC; her niece, Megan Lightle, of Cayce, SC; and her nephew, Theodore Lightle, of Cocoa, FL. The family extends its gratitude to Lana's dear friend, Sarah, for her unconditional and enduring love and support.

A Memorial Service will be held on August 19th, 2023, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church 1150 E Montague Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405. Family will receive friends in Good Shepherd Hall from 9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. The service begins at 10:30 a.m. A graveside service will follow immediately after at Carolina Memorial Park 7113 Rivers Ave, North Charleston, SC 29406.