William LANIER Sr.

LANIER, Sr., William William Lovel "Bill" Lanier, Sr., died Tuesday, March 17, 2015, his 88th birthday, in Quitman, Georgia. The Candler County native was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. After college, he began farming in Candler County. Mr. Lanier was elected to the Georgia General Assembly at age 22, served for six two-year terms, and was Chairman of the House Agricultural Committee from 1954-1958. From 1961-1964, he served as State Executive Director of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service and from late 1964-1970 was President of the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation and Affiliate Companies. Beginning in 1970, Mr. Lanier served in many United States Department of Agriculture programs in Washington, DC, and for many years was Director of the nation's Tobacco, Peanut, and Agricultural Policy Analysis Programs. He also served on the Board of Directors of the National Cotton Council of America. Mr. Lanier was a graduate of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and the University of Georgia. Progressive Farmer Magazine named him Man of the Year in Service to Georgia Agriculture in 1966. In 1994, he received the Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Award "in recognition of a lifetime spent in service to agriculture in Georgia and on the national level." In 1995, the Georgia Forestry Association recognized him as Georgia Tree Farmer of the Year. In 2002, the State of Georgia named Georgia Highway 121 north of Metter the William L. Lanier, Sr., Highway and, in 2004, he was inducted into the Georgia Agriculture Hall of Fame. Locally, Mr. Lanier was named Candler County Citizen of the Year in 1991. He is survived by his wife, Jean Sheffield Radford Lanier of Metter and Quitman; children William L. Lanier, Jr. (Mary), Rochester, MN, John Lanier (Judie), Stone Mountain, and Melodie Mobley (David), Birmingham, AL; step-children, AJ. Radford (Molly), and Susan Radford, Quitman; two sisters, Margie Brown, Baxley, and Marie Kemp, Savannah; four grandchildren, Brooke Lanier (James Rocco), Philadelphia, PA, Hudson Lanier, Austin, TX, Jessica Lanier, Boston, MA, and Jennifer Lanier, Atlanta; and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted, 2 p.m. Saturday, March 21, 2015, at Metter First Baptist Church. Burial will be in the Rosemary Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday, 6-8 pm, at Kennedy Funeral Homes, Hooks Chapel. Remembrances may be made to The Guido Evangelistic Association, PO Box 508, Metter, GA 30439-0508. A guest book can be accessed at www.kennedyfuneralhomechapels.com. Kennedy Funeral Homes, Hooks Chapel, of Metter is in charge of arrangements.