Clemadell Lane

Clemadell Lane, 90, a longtime resident of Texas City, passed away on Thursday, March 10, 2016 in Houston. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Dr. William H. Lane, a chemical engineer at Monsanto, and a survivor of the 1947 ship explosions referred to as the Texas City Disaster. A loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Clem was dedicated to her family, church and community. She had a caring heart, a great sense of humor and a commitment to excellence in every endeavor. She was a pioneer in women's sports, being blessed with phenomenal athletic talent, and she made countless friends through tennis, bowling, and fishing, as well as through her church and civic volunteerism. Her memory lives on through her daughter Margaret Reed and her husband, Bruce; her two grandsons, Brent Reed (Jaclyn) and Lane Reed (Meagan) and great-grandson, William Lane Reed; and five nieces. She was predeceased by her parents, Joseph H. and Geraldine Turner, and two brothers, Harold Turner and R. H. Turner.

Clem was born in Marlin, Texas on January 24, 1926. She and her family later moved to Waco, Freeport, Bishop, and eventually Galveston, where she played on Ball High's tennis teams of the early 1940's. She met her husband, Will, on the tennis courts in Galveston, and they were married and eventually settled in Texas City in 1947. Clem was affectionately referred to as the "George Foreman of tennis." Clem was rated 4.0 by the USTA and won points for decades for her Houston Ladies' Tennis Association team, the Orange Seeds. Her home contained more than 150 tennis and bowling trophies. Between the two sports, she had competed in over 16 national tournaments and 29 state championships. The area's tennis pros knew her well as a result of her participation in several Pro-Am tournaments, often making the final four. In addition to her tennis expertise, she bowled in a Pro-Am at the greater New Orleans Don Carter Classic. At one time, she maintained a 180 bowling average and was a member of the 1970 Texas City women's team that won a national Division 1 Class A Championship. Clem served on the Parks and Recreation Board for many years and was honored by the city with the planting of an oak tree near the Tennis Center in honor of her service. Clem truly inspired all those who played with and against her with her competitiveness, good sportsmanship and her overall devotion to the games.

Always blazing new trails with her natural leadership skills, she was the first woman to become a Senior Warden at St. George's Episcopal Church in 1979, and served for years on the Parish-Pastor Relations Committee at St. John's United Methodist Church. Clem was always a fighter and won battles against breast cancer, skin cancer, and open heart surgery, and throughout her life, her good health was the envy of all her peers.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Thursday, March 17, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John's United Methodist Church in Texas City. The family wishes to thank Brookdale The Heights and Vantage Hospice for the loving care that they provided for Clem. Although she will be deeply missed, her memory lives on with her family and friends to whom she was devoted.

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