Fergus "Keith" Lane

Keith Lane loved. He loved his wife, his family, his work, his co-workers, and his friends. He loved to tell a story and to listen. He loved old movies and radio shows. He loved to fix things. He loved the New York Yankees, cafeterias, and antique stores. He loved Tom Waits and Dwight Yoakam, old cookbooks and hiking. He loved late nights spent reading, with such questing curiosity, his countless books on myriad subjects while his cat Myrtle curled on his lap. Keith loved to drop whatever he was doing and drive hours to whichever grandkid needed his presence. He loved his Appalachian roots as well as his new home in Georgia. He loved to entertain, to explore, and to turn strangers into friends by starting conversations. To know Keith Lane was to know a man who met the world with generous, boundless love. 

Keith left the world he loved far too soon on January 17, 2026. He was predeceased by his father Ernest and survived by the love of his life, Shelly, his wife of 33 years; mother Shelby; brother Preston; sons Trevor (wife Danielle) and Nathan (wife Amanda); grandchildren Cailyn (husband Chad), Isabella, Sophia, Hunter, Chance, and Jayana, as well as great-grandchild, Aspen. He gained a sister with Li (husband Jim) and nephews Alex and Jason, and was blessed with an extended family of cousins and friends.

Born July 5, 1962 in Lafayette, Indiana, Fergus Keith Lane grew up in Boone, NC. He was Student Body President at Watauga High School. At Camp Yonahlossee, where his food service career began, he developed his lifetime belief in giving his employers a day’s work for a day’s wages. He apprenticed under Chef Red Bettencourt at Blowing Rock’s Green Park Inn and was chef at Blowing Rock Country Club, Grandfather Golf and Country Club, and The Poinsett Club. 

In the 1980s, Keith began his longtime association with Boston Concessions and he transitioned into food service management. Through this work, he first met Shelly. At Lake Compounce, they began the loving relationship that would define and enliven their lives. Together, they managed numerous food service accounts, including Bristol Speedway and Sugar Mountain, where they spent over three decades. Many Avery County residents and visitors still remember The Bear Trail, Shelly and Keith’s much-loved summertime restaurant in downtown Newland.

Keith loved the mountains but was quick to head wherever needed to be with his grandkids or to drive his parents to family reunions in Florida. When he and Shelly handed over the daily management of Sugar Mountain and relocated to be closer to his sons’ families, Keith was just as quick to drive back up the mountains to help his mother, brother, and countless friends. Keith loved his new community and began volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. He also served as a board member of Conley Ridge Cemetery in Penland, where generations of his family are buried. 

In Georgia, his home quickly became a gathering place for his grandkids and he loved to cook their favorite foods. He jumped at any call for assistance, always eager to lend a helping hand. His loving presence shaped his sons and their children, just as it helped shape countless employees and co-workers who came into his orbit. Every day, his family hears new stories of someone he helped, inspired, changed, or made feel welcome. 

Keith’s work ethic was contagious. He demanded the best and inspired people to achieve it. He was a man of impeccable integrity - honest, generous, and honorable. He was patriotic, a lifelong libertarian, and a defender of freedom. He could talk about history, current events, or tell Jack tales learned from Ray Hicks. He always had time for a phone call, a chat, or to cook a meal to bring people together. 

 Keith wouldn’t have much use for mourning. He loved us all too much to see us sad. He would want us to tell stories, to laugh, and to celebrate what we have become through our encounter with him. A Celebration of Keith’s Life will be held at Boone United Methodist Church on Jan 31, 2026 at 2 p.m. with receiving of friends and a reception afterwards. The service is available for livestream on BUMC’s Facebook and YouTube.

The family is collecting memories of Keith from friends and co-workers and welcomes your thoughts, which can be sent to keithlanetribute@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Habitat for Humanity or Conley Ridge Cemetery, Inc

Arrangements by Lawson Funeral Home, 4532 Hwy 53 Hoschton, Ga., 30548. Lawsonfuneralhome.org. 706-654-0966.