David Minter Layne, of Roswell, Georgia, was a retail industry maverick, a man of boundless energy, abiding integrity and great love for God, family and country. He was born in “the ideal, American hometown” of Crawfordsville, Indiana, on August 10, 1944, to Greg and Louise Layne, who predeceased him, both of Crawfordsville, Indiana. David developed his childhood interests in fishing, hunting and trapping into a successful career as a top executive in department stores throughout the Midwest and Southeastern United States.
David and his wife, Andrea Ewing Layne, enjoyed over twenty years together traveling the world, enjoying time with their children, grandchildren, relatives and numerous lifelong friends, and spending summers in their beloved home in the Teton Valley region of Wyoming and Idaho, where David became an accomplished fly fisherman.
College sports were of particular interest to David, especially his and Andrea’s alma maters, Indiana University and The University of Georgia, respectively. David was a masterful host, and he and Andrea enjoyed entertaining in high style. He was always dressed to the nines, even during COVID19 driveway parties!
David began his retail career as an 11-year old stock boy at The Squire Shop in Crawfordsville, IN. He graduated from Indiana University in 1966 with a bachelor of science degree and later studied at The University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business. Following college, he married Julie Maurer, nee Rench, of Richmond, Indiana. He soon became a buyer at Lazarus Department Store, which later founded Federated Department Store. He continued to advance, and at the age of 35 in 1979, became the youngest president of Harzfeld’s on The Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri.
His distinguished career in retail culminated in his move to Atlanta to create the concept which he named Uptons. It was “Just What You’re Looking For!”, a phrase David coined. The wildly successful department store began as a startup company that he grew into 80+ stores throughout the Southeast. In later years, David’s business involvements included Primrose Schools and the Paper Affair Franchise.
David is survived by: his wife, Andrea Ewing Layne; his daughter, Holly (Layne) Johnson, her spouse, Gregg Johnson, and their children, Katie and Nick; his son, David Minter Layne II, his wife, Alice Layne, and their son, Lukas; his stepdaughter, Amanda Rose, and her children, Aiden, Rivers and Walker; and his stepson and dear friend, Michael Ewing Malley. David was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Ann McMurry and survived by her husband, David’s dear friend, Frank McMurry.
David left this world on February 24, 2021, following open heart surgery and a prolonged hospital stay. There will be a private service for immediate family, and the body will be entombed in Crawfordsville, Indiana. If you would like to honor David’s life then invest in a well-made and wonderfully designed article of clothing and enjoy it immensely.
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