R. P. Lanier
Born in White Plains, Greene County, GA on Nov. 30, 1917.
Departed on Sep. 15, 2005 in Waycross, Ware County, GA, where he resided in a nursing home near his son.

Visitation: Sunday, Sep. 18, 2005
Service: Monday, Sep. 19, 2005
Cemetery: Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery

Rene Parks Lanier,Sr., 87, died Thursday (September 15, 2005) at Waycross (GA)Health and Rehab following a short illness.

He was a native of White Plains, GA but had resided most of his life in Lenoir, NC and for the past three years he had lived in Waycross with his son, Wayne Lanier. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sarah Alice Sherrer Lanier. He was the son of the late Walter Stone Lanier and Gertrude Smith Lanier of Oglethorpe County, GA.

Parks Lanier was a retired Vocational Agricultural Teacher. During WWII, he served in the US Army Air Corps during World War II in New Guinea as repair specialist with the 5th Army Air Force. After the war, he completed his agricultural studies at the University of Georgia, Athens, in 1948. When he was graduated, all ag majors wore maize colored gowns. He did student teaching in White Plains and lived at the manse. For five years, he taught agriculture in Arnoldsville and Winterville, GA. He then moved to Leaksville (now Eden), NC, to teach industrial arts for two years. He and his students built a complete house from ground up.In 1957, he moved to Caldwell County, NC (Lenoir and Hudson) where he taught agriculture and horticulture and sponsored FFA Clubs at King's Creek and West High Schools until his retirement in 1982. He was very popular with his students. He was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church in Hudson, NC.

He is survived by two sons, Wayne Sherrer Lanier (wife Susan) of Waycross, GA; Parks Lanier, Jr. of Radford, VA; a daughter, Zettie Anne Lanier of Hickory, NC; two sisters, Latrelle Ethridge of Comer, GA, Agnes Perry of Macon; four brothers, Harold S. Lanier of Clermont, GA, Roger Lanier and J. Rozzie Lanier both of Crawford, GA, Rene H. Lanier of Dalton, GA; and four grandchildren Stephanie, Trevor, Wren, and Matthew.

A graveside service was held 11:00 a.m. Monday, September 19, 2005 at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery in Lenoir, NC with military rites. His son Wayne played "Taps" in his father's honor.The family received at Pendry's Funeral Home in Lenoir, NC, the preceding evening.