Carole A. Lane

Carole went peacefully to be with her Lord on July 28, 2012 after a long battle with breast cancer. Her loving husband and son were with her. On December 15, 1942 Carole was born to George and Diane North in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Until Carole was six years old, the family lived in the hotel her father managed and Carole absorbed East Coast living from parades and ballets, history and the Liberty Bell to modeling with her mom and going to Atlantic City to the beach. In 1948 her father was offered the position of manager of Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood near Portland, Oregon. Her brother was born and they all moved out West. Timberline Lodge was failing but within six months it was successfully competing with Sun Valley, Idaho with all of the amenities and celebrities. Carole loved the way of life on the mountain; skiing, hiking, fishing, horseback riding and watching wildlife while exploring the mountain. Life was filled with meeting interesting people from around the world, Christmases with Santa skiing down the mountain with flares, watching movies like “Stagecoach” on evenings in the lobby with the fireplace roaring and learning to yodel and do the polka with the musicians/lift crew from Switzerland who entertained guests. One summer Universal International Studios stayed at Timberline Lodge while filming “Bend on the River” with Jimmy Stewart and Rock Hudson. They all became friends. In 1952 the family left the mountains to live in Portland where Carole’s father managed the Portland Golf Club for thirteen years and they bought a small ranch to raise Welsh and Hackney ponies. Carole attended Beaverton High, rode her horse, was in 4-H, was on the ski team and did theatre. After graduating from Beaverton High School, Carole went on to Idaho State College and part-time at Reed, followed by two years in Hawaii working for NBC TV. In 1969 Carole married Peter Lane who was starting a wholesale lumber corporation in Redding, California. They traveled the world, including almost two months in Africa and scuba diving in the Caribbean. In 1972 Carole gave birth to a delightful baby boy, Frank Lane. Then Peter and Carole began training and running Labrador Retrievers and golfing as hobbies. Carole sat on several boards but her heart was always with Haven Humane Society where she was President of the Board for ten years and was instrumental in acquiring city land south of Redding and building a state-of-the-art facility with new programs for education, spay/neuter and cruelty investigations. Carole also did three documentaries for Public TV in Redding. Carole got her real estate license and became a successful realtor who especially enjoyed doing commercial/investment properties and ranches but loved working with people and improving their lives. Peter Lane and Carole were divorced but remained close friends; Peter died in a private plane crash. Through her real estate practice, Carole met and fell in love with Norwood Erich, a successful attorney and rancher. They were married in the year 2000 to live at their peaceful and beautiful cattle ranch at the foot of Mt. Shasta in Big Springs, California. They’ve enjoyed their friends, many from Little Shasta Valley Church and Carole often said she hoped “heaven would be just like this.” Carole has maintained a wonderful friendship with her son, Frank, and they’ve enjoyed skiing, traveling and scuba diving for many years. Carole loved God, her family and friends. Carole is survived by her loving husband, Norwood Erich and his two children, Matt and Judy; her son, Frank Lane and her “grand dog” Gus; her brother George North and his wife, Sandi and their two children. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. in the Little Shasta Church in Little Shasta with burial to follow in the Little Shasta Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Haven Humane Society, P.O. Box 992202, Redding, California 96099 or Little Shasta Valley Church, 7100 Harry Cash Road, Montague, California 96064.

Carole A. Lane

December 15, 1942 - July 28, 2012