MELVIN LANEY Sr.

Melvin Laney, Sr.  
Melvin Johnson Laney, Sr. (Age 82) of Spencerville, MD died peacefully on Saturday, December 11, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; four children Culbert, Hyrum, Shawna and Melvin, Jr.; eight grandchildren; and six siblings. Melvin was born in St. George, Utah and moved with his family to Silver Spring, MD in 1942 where he attended Montgomery Blair High School and was a finalist in the Westinghouse Talent Search, Top 200 Science Students. His higher education included a B.S. from Brigham Young University in Medicinal Chemistry & Physics and a J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law. During his career he held many prominent consulting positions to the U.S. Federal Government and Pharmaceutical Industry. These include DOJ outside counsel for the AT&T Divestiture Case, Industry Representative to the NASA Space Science Committee, CEO of McNET Physicians Network in Montgomery County, Pioneering efforts for HIV/AIDS research and leader of a UN Delegation for Telemedicine in remote areas of Africa. Melvin was a strong Spiritual Leader and Community Activist who worked to protect Children with Asthma in Foster Care and was a Homeschooling advocate for Precocious Students. He fought for Government reforms at the Federal, State and Local levels and was awarded Maryland's 1993 Public Service Award by Governor William Donald Schaefer. A funeral will take place on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 at 12:30 p.m. at Hines-Rinaldi Funeral Home, 11800 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20904. Family and friends can gather prior to the funeral from 9:30 AM to 12:30 p.m. at Hines-Rinaldi Funeral Home. Burial will be at Union Cemetery on Rt 198 in Burtonsville.