Funeral Details

Frederic S. Lane, 91, passed away peacefully at his home in Chicago on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Born May 14, 1935, to Sylvia B. and M. Martin Lane, of blessed memory, in Hyde Park, Illinois, he lived an adventurous and rich life filled with family, learning, love, and friendship.

Fred graduated from Hyde Park High School as Class President and went on to the University of Pennsylvania, where he led crew as stroke of the Varsity Heavyweight Rowing team, a Henley Cup winner and a member of the United States Rowing Hall of Fame, and earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School in 1956. While serving a brief stint in the Army as a Captain at Fort Sheridan, he went on to earn his Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago in 1959, where he served as Chairman of the Hinton Moot Court Committee from 1958 to 1959. He was married to Ginger Speigel from 1960 to 1991, with whom he had three children. He practiced law at Sonnenschein, Carlin, Nath & Rosenthal, where he became a close advisor and friend to Ray and Joan Kroc, launching a lifetime of devotion to the Golden Arches, and to his dear friend and fishing partner, Fred Turner.

Freddy was the beloved husband of Jeanie Pollack, to whom he was married for 35 years. Together, Jeanie and Freddy traveled the world and shared the love of friends. He was the loving father of Russel Gregory Lane; Elizabeth (Beth) Anne Lane (Joel Moody); and Jennifer (Jen) Lane Landolt (Mark Landolt). Papa Fred was the proud grandfather of Taylor and Trevor Lane; Joshua, Oliver and Sebastian Moody; and Elliot and Anya Landolt. He was the dear brother of Constance Ruth Uslander, of blessed memory, and uncle of Charles Uslander and Daniel Uslander.

Family was central to Fred's life. Whether taking his grandsons fishing in Guatemala, escorting his granddaughters across Italy, or bringing the entire immediate family to Israel and France, he cherished these moments together. Celebrating Shabbat was a treasured ritual throughout his life.

Committed to community service and philanthropy, Fred was an active member of Temple Sholom of Chicago, serving as its president from 1985 to 1987. For many years, he participated in adult education courses studying Job, the Talmud, the Torah, and Jewish life, in addition to attending weekly services. Fred's devotion to Judaism and Israel culminated in his role as a Board Member of Hebrew Union College, traveling to Cincinnati and Israel numerous times a year. Up until his passing, Fred worked tirelessly for a two-state solution.

Known to his friends as Freddy Boy, he was a true Renaissance man. Music was one of his many varied interests; he was an avid season ticket holder at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, sang in the choir at Temple Sholom, was an annual member of the Chicago Bar Association's Annual Christmas Spirits Show, and was always heard singing or whistling a melodic tune. He even learned to play the ukulele. Addressing everyone as "sports fans," Fred was devoted to the White Sox growing up on the South Side, the Bulls, and was a Chicago Bears season ticket holder for decades. His life and mind were always active and full: a voracious reader, a passionate cook, a lifelong deep-sea fisherman, an amateur photographer, and a tennis player twice a week at Midtown Athletic Club with his beloved Hyde Park classmates since the 1960s. Last but not least, Fred was a proud member of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, and never met a glass of wine, a meal, or an ice cream cone he didn't like. His life's mission was to find the perfect tiramisu.

A memorial service will be held Tuesday at 3PM at Temple Sholom, 3480 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. To attend the funeral livestream, please visit our website. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hebrew Union College, 3101 Clifton Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45220, huc.edu or Ronald McDonald House, 26345 Network Place, Chicago, Illinois 60673-1263, ronaldmcdonaldhouse.org. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals – Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com

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