Mr. Joel Chapman Lane Jr., 86, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011. Funeral services will be private.

Mr. Lane grew up in Bainbridge and had lived in Eatonton, Ga., since his retirement from Westinghouse in 1985. He was the son of the late Joel Chapman Lane Sr. and Agnes Sutlive Lane and was preceded in death by his wife Pat Yeager Lane. Mr. Lane was an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. He was a 1942 valedictorian of Bainbridge High School, where he was also captain of the football team. Mr. Lane was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving in World War II. In 1949, he graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in electrical engineering. While at Georgia Tech, he served as the President of the Georgia Tech Independent Student Organization. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Eatonton, where he was a Sunday School teacher, and he was also a Deacon and Trustee at Elmira First Baptist Church in New York.

He is survived by his son Scott (Lynn) Lane of Suwannee, Ga.; daughter Debbie (Gary) Yoakum of Eatonton; sister, Lillian St. John of Dallas, Texas; grandchildren, Peter Lane of Atlanta, Ga., and Carlie (Matt) Gaffney of Statham, Ga.; and several nieces and nephews also survive.

Memorial Contributions may be made to United Hospice 6060 Lakeside Commons Dr., Macon, Ga. 31210 or to the First Baptist Church of Eatonton.

Williams Funeral Home of Eatonton, Ga., has charge of arrangements.