John T. Lanier, Sr. 1952–2021 23 rd Eastern Province Polemarch
By Aaron Williams
J ohn T. Lanier, Sr. (Alpha Gamma 1974), the 23 rd Eastern Province Polemarch, entered the Chapter Invisible on January 18, 2021. John Thomas Lanier was born on August 3, 1952, the youngest child of Willie T. Lanier and Leomia (née Woods) Lanier and grew up in Danville, VA. Lanier was a good student, ath- letic, and an excellent tennis player from a young age. Lanier attended college at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, VA. While at- tending VCU, he joined the Fraternity in 1974 and was a charter member of the Virginia Commonwealth University Chapter, the Eta Xi of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He graduated from VCU in 1974 with a B.S. degree in account- ing. Lanier had a distinguished career at Reynolds Metals in Richmond, VA. Lanier accumulated an extensive fraternal resume. He was a longtime member of the Richmond (VA) Alumni Chapter, where he led the chapter as polemarch from 1990-1993. He had held numerous leadership positions at Grand Chapter and within the Eastern Province, including:
of the Fraternity was on the Chapter, Eastern Province, or Grand Chapter level, Lanier was a warm and friendly "Kappa Man," ready to lend a helping hand. Lanier loved the "crimson and cream," and his positive change and service footprint will remain an integral part of Kappa history. Although John faced some health care concerns the last few years of his life, he never lost his zest for life. He thoroughly enjoyed tennis, golf, and football with his friends. He routinely took the Lanier family to U.S. Open Tennis Tournaments. He organized several golf tournaments and enjoyed going to PGA Tournaments with family and friends. Brother John T. Lanier, Sr. was predeceased in death by his parents and brother, Willie T. Lanier, Jr. He is sur- vived his loving wife, Joyce (nee Cooper) Lanier and devoted son, John T. Lanier, Jr.; sister, Barbara M. (Joseph) Younger; brother, Jerry L. Lanier; and a host of relatives, close friends, colleagues, and fraternity brothers.
• Eastern Province Senior Prov- ince Vice Polemarch (2003 – 2007); • Eastern Province Keeper of Exchequer (2001 – 2003); • Eastern Province Membership Intake Coordinator, Region III (2007); • Operations Assistant to the East- ern Province Polemarch (2001 – 2002); • Eastern Province Alumni Board Member, Region III – Richmond (VA) Alumni (1997 – 2000); • Grand Chapter Deputy Director of Organizational Effectiveness (2010). In 2007, the 30th Grand Polemarch Samuel Hamilton appointed Lanier as Eastern Province Polemarch, which he led for four years. He attended numerous Province Council and Grand Chapter Meetings and C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Con- ferences and earned numerous awards and recognition for his outstanding service. Regardless of whether the task
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