Jeffrey Kent Lane

Jeffrey Kent Lane, a pharmacist age 57, died on Dec.1 at his home in Delray Beach Florida after a recent hospitalization for cardiopulmonary disease.

Lane grew up in Sparta, NJ and enjoyed playing football, soccer, baseball and basketball and experienced great happiness at Ungerman Field in his youth.

He played on Sparta High School's successful soccer teams in the early 1970s coached by Manny Reis.

Lane went on to Rutgers University where he played soccer and was captain of the junior varsity team before transferring to the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy where he earned his pharmacy degree and played guard on their basketball team. He also had the privilege of playing college basketball games in the Boston Garden. While in Boston, Jeff also earned a tryout for the New England Tea Men professional soccer team.

Lane spoke fluent Russian and formed lifelong friendships with many of his professors.

After college, he moved to south Florida and earned the admiration of many as a considerate and compassionate pharmacist who befriended his customers and made house calls if a patient was not well enough to come in for their medicine.

In 1993, Lane coined the official slogan for Boca Raton: "the city for all seasons," which is still in use today.

The son of Howard Lane and Peggy Welch, Lane is survived by his mother Peggy Welch, brother Kerry Lane, sister Lisa Scarpa, bother Bob Haarde and sister-in-law Michelle Haarde and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He had many close friends in South Florida and from his childhood and college years, whom he loved very much and considered his family.

Lane was known as an intense athlete, a fierce competitor, a beloved friend, son and brother.

He was an overachiever who overcame adversity and persevered throughout his life.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Lane's memory to Sparta Little League Football, P.O. Box 332, Sparta NJ, 07871.

A gathering of friends and family will be at 1 p.m. on Sunday Dec.15 at the First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach, 33 Gleason St. followed by a recepeiton at 2 p.m. at 50 Ocean Upstairs at Boston's on the Beach, 40 S Ocean Blvd, Delray Beach.

Interment will follow in Sparta in 2014.