Minnie Bassett Lane

Minnie Bassett Lane, of Altavista died Saturday, March 21, 2015 at home in her favorite room overlooking the Staunton River. She was 84. Born Minnie Matthews Bassett on January 19, 1931 in Bassett, Virginia, Mrs. Lane was the first daughter of the late John Douglas Bassett and Lucy Brown Bassett. Mrs. Lane graduated in 1949 from St. Catherine's School in Richmond where she was chosen Outstanding Student Personality, despite tirelessly working to avoid wearing the required white gloves and hat to Sunday Church. She attended Wheelock College in Boston before marrying her late husband Bernard Bell Lane of Altavista on June 7, 1950. An active member of Lane Memorial United Methodist Church, she worked tirelessly over several decades to put her Christian faith into practice. She began in the way many mothers do, serving in Sunday Schools nurseries and classes, then as a den mother for scout patrols and classroom volunteer at schools. Her work eventually touched people in need throughout Central Virginia and in spots around the world. Her father-in-law, the late E.H. Lane, told the Altavista Journal that "bringing Minnie to Altavista was the best damn day's work B.B. ever did." Within the town, the feeling was mutual. She showed grace to many in the Altavista area and beyond by helping those less fortunate than herself, not only in visible ways but also through many unspoken, unknown, and repeated acts of kindness. Mrs. Lane was named "Altavista's Outstanding Citizen" in 1974 and was an active member of Lane Memorial United Methodist Church where she served as President of the United Methodist Women, and Chairman of the Building Fund for a church addition. Along with the late Christine Frazier, Mrs. Lane helped found the Altavista Area YMCA, proudly making Altavista the only town of its size in America to have a full scale Y. This undertaking represented a bold and gracious reach beyond silent race bariers which existed at the time. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People presented her with their 2003 NAACP Community Service Award for her efforts, which was followed by the Lynchburg Humanitarian Award in 2007. Mrs. Lane and her husband created the Minnie and Bernard Lane Foundation in 1956 to reduce hunger, help the needy, and expand Christian faith internationally and in Central Virginia. Together they spearheaded creation of the Altavista Arts Council and were instrumental in restoring the Altavista Train Station. Minnie assisted with the creation of DAWN (Dollar A Week Neighbor), the Potato Project (later Society of St Andrews) and other causes too numerous to list. The two met Mother Teresa in 1989 and supported her charity for the homeless in Phoenix. In 1975 Mrs. Lane coordinated with the Catholic Diocese of Richmond and local churches to bring refugee families fleeing South Vietnam to Altavista, even opening up her home to them. She partnered with BB in Food For the Hungry and Project Concern International outreach charities, and underwrote the first Spanish translations of the AMO Program Christian curriculum now used by thousands of families in Latin America. Her Foundation's work to retrain displaced furniture workers in Altavista was recognized as an exemplary case study in a doctorate paper at Virginia Tech. Minnie served on the Fidelity National Bank board (later Central Fidelity Bank) as the first woman Director, and the Virginia Tobacco Commission. She is survived by her four married children, William Ritter Lane and his wife Kathleen of Cave Creek, AZ, Lucy Lane Corwin and her husband Theodore of Hickory, NC, Douglas Bassett Lane and his wife Susan of Lynchburg, and Bernard Bell (Rick) Lane, Jr. and his wife Lellen of San Antonio, TX. She is also survived by her cousin Ann Matthews Lee, to whom she was a legal guardian. Her brother John D. Bassett, III of Roaring Gap, NC and her two sisters, Jane Bassett Spilman of Manakin-Sabot and Lucy Bassett Andrews of Hope Sound, FL, also mourn her loss. She enjoyed spending every Thanksgiving at The Homestead in Hot Springs, VA, with her fourteen grandchildren, whose annual artworks decorated her refrigerator. Before passing, she was fortunate to meet her one great grandchild. A funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at Lane Memorial United Methodist Church by the Rev. Alan Combs and Rev. Jeff Allen. The family will host a reception following the service at the Altavista Area YMCA. In lieu of flowers, her family suggests that those wishing to make memorials please consider the Altavista Area YMCA, 718 Seventh St., Altavista, VA 24517; the Altavista Arts Council, C/O Altavista Area YMCA, 718 Seventh St., Altavista, VA 24517 or to assist Global Missions: Minnie and Bernard Lane Foundation, P.O. Box 359, Altavista, VA 24517. The family expresses its deep appreciation to the loving team of caregivers led by Debbie Bernard for taking care of Minnie during her 7+ years of illness.

Minnie Bassett Lane

January 19, 1931 - March 21, 2015