Stoddard Lane III

Stoddard "Skip" Lane III passed away on August 11, 2021 after a brief illness. Born March 13, 1943 in Long Branch, New Jersey to Stoddard Lane Jr. and Barbara (Spaulding) Lane. His father put on hold his English Literature PhD at the University of Chicago to join the Army Air Forces in World War II. Born during the course of his successful 50 combat missions, Stoddard Jr.'s B-24 crew came to call their captain's unseen newborn son the " 'lil Skipper". Hence, "Skip", which stuck for life. Skip's family moved around to follow his father's executive career postings with Johns Mansville, with most of his youth spent in Kenosha, WI, and Anaheim, CA. Skip followed three generations of Lane men before him in attending Amherst College, excelling scholastically and on the tennis team. Following graduation, he attended law school at Cal, but the summer before he was to take the bar exam, he worked in the legal department of a firm on Wall Street and decided that a future in law was not for him after all. He and a friend quixotically hitched a ride on a barge from New York to Israel and joined a kibbutz, where Skip met his first wife, Danish national Lisbeth Hansen. They moved back to Berkeley, CA for a time before following Skip's uncle, Jim Spaulding, (a journalism emeritus professor at Cal and owner of Stonegate Winery in Calistoga, CA) to Napa Valley. After working in the cellar at Robert Mondavi Winery, Skip co-founded the first modern day cooperage in Napa Valley, Barrel Builders. Selling his interest to his partners after a few years of successful operation, Skip transitioned to a career in real estate brokerage. He remained active in the Napa Valley real estate market for the remainder of his life, co-founding and operating several real estate companies with his second wife, Gail Morgan Lane. Serving the community of St. Helena was always a top priority for Skip, he consistently participated in organizations dedicated to the betterment of his beloved town over the course of his 50 years of residency. He proudly served as President of the St. Helena School Board, St. Helena Historical Society, and St. Helena Library foundation, among others. Skip's later years were lovingly spent traveling with his wife Cynthia, and enjoying active participation in their children and grandchildrens' lives. A lifelong voracious reader, his final years afforded him ample time for his favorite hobby. Skip is survived by his wife Cynthia Lane of St. Helena, CA, his daughter Sarah Lane of St. Helena, CA, his son Sebastian Lane (Estelle) of St. Helena, CA, his sister Elizabeth Cabot (Jeff) of Columbus, OH, his step-daughter Leah Jaeger of San Diego, CA, his step-son William Jaeger (Leanne) of Port Orange, FL, his grandchildren Marie-Marguerite and Sebastian Lane of St. Helena, CA and his step-grandaughter Charlie Rose Jaeger of Port Orange, FL. No public services will be held and the family asks that donations be made in lieu of flowers to the St. Helena Historical Society in his name.

Tributes

Stoddard Lane III

March 13, 1943 - August 11, 2021