William C Lanier

William C. "Bill" Lanier, of Ulster Landing Road died Thursday, April 24, 2014 in Kingston, NY. He was 88 years of age. He was born January 1, 1926, in Iron City, Tennessee to the late William Lawrence Lanier and Cecil (Smith) Lanier. He graduated from high school in Shelbyville, Tennessee and entered the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1943 as an aviation cadet. While in this program he attended the University of the South at Sewanee, did tar-mac duty at the Navy's Primary Flight Training Center near Dallas and attended prep-flight school at Louisiana State Normal College in Nachitoches, LA.

At the conclusion of WWII he enrolled in Akron University School of Engineering and graduated in 1950. He joined IBM the same year and worked in the branch offices of both Akron and Toledo. In 1953 he transferred to an engineering design department at IBM in Poughkeepsie. He retired from IBM in February, 1987 after 37 years of service in both technical and management positions in Poughkeepsie and Kingston.

Bill was a member of the Clinton Avenue United Methodist Church and a long-time member of the Mendelssohn Club of Kingston. He was president of that organization in 1976 and also participated in the Yankee Male Chorus for a number of years. He was a resolute fisherman, golfer and music lover, and was skilled in woodworking and antique restoration.

His wife, and childhood sweetheart, the former Mildred "Millie" Miller, died March 28, 2004. He is survived by his three children; Linda K. Lanier of Saugerties, Peggy "Jane" Driscoll of Rhinebeck, and Mark S. Lanier of Saugerties, as well as two grandchildren, James and Katherine Driscoll.

Entrusted to the care of Eric Keyser of Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, 326 Albany Ave., Kingston, where friends and family may visit on Saturday May 3rd 2014, from 2pm to 4pm with the service beginning at 4pm.

Memorial contributions may be made to: Parkinson's Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018

Light a candle in memory of Bill at www.KeyserCarr.com