Johnson Jr., Goodrich Lane, 93, of North Hill in Needham, MA, formerly of Wellesley, MA, passed away peacefully on January 7, 2025. Lane was born on December 15, 1931 in Albany, NY to Ruth (Settle) and Goodrich Lane Johnson.
Raised in Albany, NY, Lane graduated from The Albany Academy in 1949 and participated in Scouting, earning Eagle Scout honors. He then began college at St. Lawrence University. In 1951 he enlisted in the United States Navy receiving extensive training at the Navel Electronic Technician School, Great Lakes, IL. Lane was assigned duty aboard the USS Arcadia. In 1954 Lane was honorably discharged and returned to St. Lawrence, joined the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity and graduated with a degree in physics. In 1957, he began graduate studies at Columbia University Graduate School of Business.
Lane developed a lifelong love of the sea while in the Navy, particularly the New England coast. He relocated to Boston and began his career at Western Electric followed by positions at AT&T, Lucent Technologies and Cortex Corp. Lane met his future wife, Ann while on a ski trip with mutual friends. They fell in love while sailing on the Charles River and ski trips to Vermont. Lane and Ann married in Utica, NY in December 1960 and settled in Wellesley. Lane and Ann raised three daughters while encouraging confidence, a love of family and friends, a sense of adventure, and commitment to community. Lane has been described as a true gentleman and active listener by all who met him and was a generous husband and father.
Beginning at a young age, Lane was fond of music starting with piano and trumpet. While he was in the Navy he purchased an accordion when he was stationed near Naples, Italy and taught himself to play. He enjoyed singing as a tenor in his college choir and at St. Andrews Church. Over Lane’s life he developed a community of friends through service and love for the outdoors. He coached youth baseball and soccer and was a member of the St. Andrews vestry and choir. He served as the Commodore of the Wellesley Sailing Club, was a member of the Wellesley Assemblies and was elected to the Wellesley Town Meeting representing Precinct A for many years.
Lane loved sailing, and passionately honed his Sunfish racing skills. He enjoyed weekly Sunday races with the sailing club on Morses Pond and earned Senior Olympic level Sunfish racing opportunities in Chicago and South Carolina. Lane was also an expert skier. His family along with members of the much loved Campton Hollow Ski Club, spent winters skiing and enjoying outdoor activities.
Lane was the beloved husband of Ann E. (Gumaer) Johnson and devoted father to Elizabeth Tecca and her husband, Paul of Bristol, RI, formerly of Wellesley, Martha Chaddock and her husband, Robert of Standish, ME and Laura Schneider and her husband, Gregory of Boxford, MA. He was also the loving Grandfather of Robert, Benjamin, Lucia, Amanda and Nicole.
A celebration of life will be held at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 79 Denton Road, Wellesley, MA on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at 11am. A reception will be held immediately following the service at the church.