Bert Lane

1926 - 2022

A kind and gentle soul left us this week. Bert Lane passed away at his home in Hancock Park after living a full and wondrous life for 95 years.

Bert was born in San Diego in 1926 to Bert Levi and Gertha Lehman Levi. The family moved to Los Angeles six years later; and Bert spent his formative years attending Third Street Elementary, John Burroughs Jr. High and graduating from LA High School in 1944. A good student, a great athlete and an officer in ROTC. He was a Second Lieutenant in the Army during WWII and enrolled at UCLA at the end of the war.

He met and married the woman of his dreams, Ann Reiss, and they were married in 1949. He followed in his father's footsteps and began a career in the food service industry. Quality Col-Pak, Profitime and California Apple Products were companies that he created and grew into industry leaders. An astute and successful businessman, he always dreamed of being a teacher. Instead, he retired at 50 to play tennis. That didn't last too long, and he found himself back in the food business, this time working with his son Jim, until his retirement in 2010.

He always found time away from his business to spend lots of time with his sons and then with his granddaughters. He traveled the globe with Ann – visiting more than 60 countries. He still had time to build a house in the mountains, plant a flourishing garden in Montecito, fish, play tennis, race thoroughbred horses, and eat desserts – preferably vanilla or lemon.

He was active in supporting the community in which he lived, most notably fundraising for the Hollywood/Wilshire YMCA through their annual Boosters' Dinner. He was generous with his time and his money to multiple charitable organizations.

He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Ann Reiss Lane, his sons Rob, Jim (Jill Ruesch-Lane) and Don (Mary Howe); grandchildren Jessica (Max), Abigail, Isabel (Ted), Tida (Melissa) and Soji (Marin); great grandchildren Marina, Sage and Emma; and countless nieces, nephews and cousins. All grieve his loss and rejoice in the memory of his life.

In honor of Bert, please have yourself a cookie! That is how we will remember him.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Parkinson's Foundation.