Jane Darden Lanier

Born in Waycross, Georgia, on September 21, 1941, to Elizabeth Conoly and John Wesley Darden, Jane enjoyed an idyllic small-town childhood surrounded by her two sisters, younger brother, and three first cousins who lived next door. She was an energetic child who excelled both academically and athletically. Her family was tight-knit and spent much of their time outdoors, exploring the natural beauty of southeast Georgia and north Florida.

Jane attended Waycross High School, where she was a cheerleader, played varsity tennis, and was crowned homecoming queen. She matriculated to the University of Georgia, where she studied languages and made lifelong friendships in the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, spending summers working with sorority sisters in New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Colorado. She graduated with honors and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.

After college, Jane moved to New York City and landed her dream job as a flight attendant with Pan American Airways, allowing her to see the world. Working during the golden age of the jet-set era, Jane developed a lifelong passion for travel and exploring new cultures.

While in New York, she began dating another Georgian, John Hicks Lanier, whom she married in 1966. Over the next sixty years, Jane and Hicks built a wonderful life together, first in New York and later in Atlanta, where they raised three children and doted on six grandchildren. They prioritized travel with family and friends, and their adventures took them across Europe, Africa, and South America, as well as on annual family trips to Nantucket and the Caribbean.

Jane was a dedicated community leader, serving on the boards of the Atlanta Speech School, High Museum of Art, Piedmont Healthcare Foundation, and the University of Georgia Foundation. She was a loyal parishioner of the Cathedral of St. Philip, where she taught children’s Sunday school. Additionally, she was a longtime member of the Forward Arts Foundation, Peachtree Garden Club, Piedmont Driving Club, Nantucket Golf Club, Colony Club of New York, and the Everglades Club in Palm Beach.

Fiercely competitive, Jane loved golf, tennis, and any card or parlor game she could play with family and friends. She was devoted to the arts, visiting museums around the world and rarely missing a performance at the Alliance Theatre or the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Jane remained, at heart, a small-town girl who valued people and relationships above all else. She connected effortlessly with others of every age and background, always asking thoughtful questions and making her companions feel like the most important people in the world. She had a remarkable memory, able to recall names, dates, and the smallest details. Her sense of humor was marvelous, and she was the absolute best dinner partner. She made every room warmer, every moment lighter. Being with her simply made life more fun.

Jane’s life was grounded in her faith—shaped by both Episcopal and Presbyterian traditions—and in her family. Known as “J.J.” to her grandchildren, she taught them to never take themselves too seriously and to never meet a stranger. She enjoyed an especially deep bond with her sisters, Betty Hatcher and Ruth Foss, through every chapter of life. All three adored their brother Johnny Darden, with whom they shared countless laughs until his passing in 2016.

She is survived by her devoted husband, Hicks; her children, Jay Lanier of Dallas, Texas; Liza Jancik (Brad); and Stephen Lanier (Landon); and her grandchildren, Jane, Elizabeth, and Matthew Jancik, and Hicks, Christopher, and Caroline Lanier, all of Atlanta.

The family would like to recognize the loyal and loving friendship that Jane shared with Charo Trujillo for nearly two decades, and to thank the home health professionals who cared for her with love and dedication in recent months.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at the Cathedral of St. Philip, followed by a reception at the Swan Coach House. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Atlanta Speech School or the Cathedral of St. Philip.