Gary Harold Lane

He is survived by his loving wife, Theresa (Giuliano), and his two beautiful children, Emily and Joshua. He was the devoted son of the late Dorothy (Mayo) and the late Harold M. Lane Jr., and the cherished brother of Roy and Laurie Lane of Sterling; Catherine Nicastro and Marty Halpern of Montague; Christine and Mark Adams of Rochester, NY; James and Diane Lane of Paxton; Jeffrey and Sheila Lane of Shrewsbury; Cheryl and Kirk Preston of Rochester, NY; and Cynthia and Stephen Kitchen of Rehoboth. He was also a beloved son-in-law to Beverly and Fran Giuliano, and will be deeply missed by his many nieces, nephews, extended family, and lifelong friends.

Gary graduated from Wachusett Regional High School in Holden, where he captained the football, basketball, and baseball teams during his senior year—an athletic legacy that earned him an induction into the Wachusett Athletic Hall of Fame. He went on to earn his degree in exercise science from Bridgewater State College, where he was the captain of the football team.

Growing up in a large family, Gary worked hard to pay his own way through college. He and his high school best friend launched a painting company during the summers, where Gary’s tireless work ethic earned him enough tuition money to complete his degree. What began as a summer job evolved into a fulfilling, lifelong career. Gary was immensely proud of the business he built, and his meticulous eye for detail earned him a loyal base of repeat customers. Over the years, he employed two of his brothers, a brother-in-law, cousins, and countless others. His signature joke—claiming "I’m losing my shirt" on every single job—kept his crews on their toes. (To his credit, his son Josh knew how to keep work and family separate and wisely never joined the payroll!) Across Holden, Wells, Maine, and Orleans, homes are beautifully finished by the hands of a true craftsman and proud self-made business owner. Never one to dress up, Gary was most comfortable in his work clothes, proudly worn and covered in paint speckles. Before jobs, he cherished frequenting local coffee shops with his buddies, where the conversations and camaraderie flowed as easily as the coffee.

Beyond his career, Gary’s greatest accomplishment and proudest legacy was his family. He and Theresa were married in April of 1991, surrounded by family and a host of high school and college friends. Theresa was the love of Gary’s life, and from the moment they met, the two were inseparable. They shared a rare, unconditional love built on mutual kindness, respect, and enduring devotion. Together, they loved walking the beaches, traveling on vacation, and hosting family get-togethers.

When their daughter Emily was born with a potentially life-altering condition, Gary and Theresa became her fiercest advocates, fighting tirelessly for her right to a full, independent life. They were her strongest supporters, constantly pushing her to achieve far beyond what seemed possible, all while building a loving network of family and friends to share in every surgery, therapy session, appointment, and victory. A few years later, they welcomed their son, Joshua. Gary and Josh shared an extraordinary bond centered around baseball, Disney, and all things "Papa". Gary was filled with pride when Josh graduated with his teaching degree from Bridgewater a few years ago and is following in his Papa’s footsteps in the field of education.

If you would like to honor Gary’s life and legacy, in lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to either the Greater Rochester Spina Bifida Association (www.grsba.org) or the Spina Bifida Association of Greater New England (sbagreaterne.org).

A celebration of Gary’s life will take place on Saturday, November 28th at 10:00 am at Harbor Church: Mashpee Campus located at 4966 Falmouth Rd., Cotuit, MA 02635.