Delray Beach, FL - Jeffrey Lane, Pharmacist, 57, died on December 1st at his home in Delray Beach Florida after a recent hospitalization for cardiopulmonary disease. Jeff grew up in Sparta, NJ and enjoyed playing football, soccer, baseball and basketball and spent much of his time and experienced great happiness at Ungerman Field in his youth. Jeff played on the very successful Sparta High School soccer teams in the early 1970s coached by Manny Reis. Jeff went on to Rutgers University where he played in their Soccer Program and as a sophomore was a captain of the junior varsity team before transferring to the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy where he earned his Pharmacy Degree and played guard on their basketball team and had the privilege of playing college basketball games in the Boston Garden. Jeff never stopped learning. He spoke fluent Russian and formed lifelong friendships with many of his professors. While in Boston, Jeff also earned a tryout for the New England Tea Men Professional Soccer Team.
After college, Jeff moved to South Florida and earned the admiration of many as a considerate and compassionate Pharmacist who befriended his customers, provided thoughtful consultations and would often make house calls if a patient was not well enough to come in for their medicine. In 1993, Jeff coined the official slogan for the City of Boca Raton: "The City for All Seasons," which is still in use today. Jeff also earned his stock broker's license and spent several years in Houston working for EF Hutton.
The son of Howard Lane and Peggy Welch, Jeff is survived by his mother Peggy Welch, brother Kerry Lane, M.D., sister Lisa Scarpa, bother Bob Haarde and sister-in-law Michelle Haarde and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Jeff was married twice and divorced. Jeff had many close friends in South Florida, as well as friends from his childhood and college years, whom he loved very much and considered his family.
Jeff was known as an intense athlete, a fierce competitor, a beloved friend, son and brother. He was an overachiever who overcame adversity and persevered throughout his life. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jeff's memory to Sparta Little League Football, P.O. Box 332, Sparta NJ, 07871. A gathering of friends and family will remember Jeff at 1:00 PM on Sunday December 15th at the First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach, 33 Gleason St, Delray Beach, FL 33483 with a reception immediately following at 2:00 PM at 50 Ocean Upstairs at Boston's on the Beach, 40 S Ocean Blvd, Delray Beach, FL 33483. Interment will follow in Sparta, NJ in 2014.