William Ronald Lanier

WILLIAM RONALD LANIER William Ronald (Ron) Lanier, age 74, passed away on Tuesday, December 23, 2014, in Durango, Colo., with his family by his side. Ron was born in Hinton, Okla. on October 10, 1940 to parents, Orville (Buck) and Bertha (Armstrong) Lanier. He was the middle child of two other brothers, Gerald and Steve Lanier, and was a graduate of Sickles High School in Oklahoma. After graduating, he attended Southwestern State Teacher's College and went on to attend and graduate at Oklahoma State University, majoring in Agriculture. He had several careers throughout his life, including working at the Texas Department of Corrections in Huntsville, Texas; owning and operating Indian Head Lodge in Pagosa Springs, Colo.; and importing cattle for Merrick Farms in Gene Autry, Okla. However, growing up on his parent's peanut farm instilled in him a passion for agriculture, and he spent most of his career overseeing various corporate agricultural projects in New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, and even Saudi Arabia. Toward the end of his working career, he shifted gears and worked as Director of Weed Control for Montezuma County, as well as owning his own weed spraying business, both in Cortez, Colo. After a successful business career, he retired on May 30, 2007. During his adult life, he raised a family of four active children, and early on, he instilled in them a love and appreciation for the outdoors, especially the mountains, by taking them on many family vacations and camping excursions. His hobbies included building hot rods off and on throughout his life, and he was an avid hunter and sportsman. When life would let him, he would head to the mountains in his 1979 CJ7 Jeep with his sweetheart near his home in Colorado, a place where he was truly content. Ron is preceded in death by his parents, Buck and Bertha Lanier; infant daughter, Michelle Lanier; brother, Gerald Lanier; and nephews, Paul and Daniel Lanier. He is survived by his four children, Gina Kilpatrick, Lisa Zwirtz, Greg Lanier all from Oklahoma, and Angela Wirth of Colorado; his two step children, Glyn Ratliff of New Mexico and Careen Ratliff of Colorado; his younger brother, Steve Lanier and wife, Karen; nephews, Nathan and Matthew; his brother's stepson, Anthony Morris; brother-in-law, Steven Oller and wife, Deb; nephew, Wayne Oller, of Texas; niece, Susan Van Eaton of Oklahoma; and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. Then there is the love of his life, Linda Lanier, his wife of 33 years, soul mates and true companions to the end. We will truly miss his warm heart, kind words, and contagious laughter Funeral services to celebrate Ron's life will be held on Tuesday, December 30 at 2:00 at Sickles Community Church in Sickles, Okla. A lunch will be provided at 12:00 for family and friends.