I've only just learned about Joe Lane's passing.
It has affected me deeply because I've known Joe
for as long as I've been on this forum. We have disagreed often, however he was always a gentleman and I admired him greatly. I'll miss him very much.

I'd like those who can - share their memories with us of Joe.
I feel that he deserves that from this forum. He was a valuable contributor, a good friend, a great guy, great sense of humour.

Thanks Foxy. I hadn't known about that. I had some interesting conversations with Joe off the forum as he also wrote for On Line Opinion https://onlineopinion.com.au/author.asp?id=6005.

We agreed on a lot of things to do with indigenous affairs, and I always thought he was very brave to take the position that he did. Which meant I respected him those times when we disagreed because I knew any disagreement was genuine.

He'll be missed on this forum, as well as a lot of other places. This is the funeral notice https://www.mytributes.com.au/notice/death-notices/lane-joseph-james/5649430/.

Thanks for such a prompt response Graham.

I remember when Joe and I first made contact. It was at the
time of his wife's death and Joe was making his feelings known
on the forum about grief. I responded to his loss. And our
friendship on the forum began. He was a lovely, genuine, gentleman
to whom family was everything as was his firm belief in Indigenous
tertiary achievements. He worked in Indigenous tertiary support
from 1981 to mid 1990s (as indicated in the link you gave).
He was too young to go - and my prayers and sympathies go out
to his families and children - Inessa Maria Lane and Malcolm Karl Lane.

cont'd ...

Thanks also for the links. Deeply appreciated.

Big Nana informed us of his death almost a month ago.

Dear Foxy,

Yes it was indeed sad news. Joe and I had many a robust discussion and while his way of clipping people around the ears was far more subtle than mine it was pretty effective.

He put an enormous amount of work into his First Sources site and it is one of the many things he should be acknowledged for.