JEAN EDMOND LANIER

LANIER--Jean Edmond.

Born on February 2, 1946 in Paris, France, Jean Edmond Lanier died surrounded by his loved ones on July 19th in New York City after a brief illness. A graduate of l'Ecole Centrale in Paris, France, he had a Masters in Operations Research from Cornell University. In 1970, he married Judith Webb, with whom he shared love, faith, and adventure for 47 years. They divided their time between Paris and Wainscott, Long Island, and cultivated deep relationships with friends and family on both sides of the Atlantic. Jean enjoyed a great deal of success in the business world, but his heart was grounded in values that transcended the material. He felt called into a lifelong friendship and leadership with L'Arche, an international organization that creates communities for people with and without intellectual disabilities, who share life in communion. His proudest achievement was the December 2016 opening of the first Long Island L'Arche home, where he delighted in the experience of community with its core members and volunteers. Jean had a profound faith in God and the responsibility of human beings to lift each other up in mutual relationships of love. An eternal optimist, he believed in celebrating the unique value and dignity of every person. He is preceded by his parents, France and Edmond Lanier, and his sister Isabelle Essig. He is survived by his wife, Judith, his children Caroline Bernhardt-Lanier, Nellie-France Harasimowicz, and Patrick Lanier and their spouses Jason, James, and Jenna, his brothers Henri and Francois Lanier, and 10 grandchildren. A requiem service to celebrate the life of Jean Lanier will be held Monday, July 24th at 10am at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 18 James Lane, East Hampton, NY 11937. In lieu of flowers, the family invites memorial contributions to be sent to L'Arche Long Island, PO Box 354, Riverhead, NY 11901-8052.