A GOOD FRIEND REMEMBERS THE LATE LESLEY LANE
DARLING DOWNS journalist and racehorse trainer, SUSAN SEARLE, remembers a good friend.
We run this obituary courtesy of the Toowoomba Chronicle.
A grieving Lane family laments as they fondly recall a wife, mother and grandmother they affectionately branded ‘Have a Chat’.
Lesley Lane made time for her family, friends and adopted a collection of stray birds, animals and people.
It was that broad smile and willingness to ‘chat’ that saw her TAB agency at Wilsonton (Toowoomba) develop a loyal clientele who pushed the suburban agency’s turnover to among the top 50 TABs in Queensland.
And, her husband, Alan boasts it once reached 25.
The family laughs amid tears — left with so many memories of a diminutive woman who selflessly endured so much.
They remember that bird, with no feathers, that was thrust from its nest. Stumpy had to be fed regularly via an eye dropper, so it was taken on one of its carer’s many journeys to the Oncology Ward in Brisbane.
And when Stumpy died last year, Lesley was on her dream holiday to America taking in Nashville, Graceland and Disneyland with her daughter Jackie.
Lesley cried for two days and made Alan freeze the bird until she could return and give it a ‘proper’ burial.
In America, it was natural for Lesley to be attracted to like-minded people and she struck up a ‘chat’ with a young woman about to board a plane with a doggy cage carrying an ugly canine sporting a hot pink collar with the name Delilah.
Lesley knew every detail about the stray that struck it lucky when it adopted the woman. Jackie was in awe when she realized the friendly stranger was none other than country music sensation Miranda Lambert.
Born Lesley Ford in Grafton, she was the eldest daughter of June and Vincent Ford. As a 12-year-old at school in Mareeba, she had an on-off romance with ‘Laney’. He joined the Navy in 1961, and despite the young service station attendant being engaged to someone else, ‘Laney’ returned and declared his love for her in March 1965. They married a year later.
And with his postings, they moved, often — nine times in 14 years. With each move Lesley always found work to help out. Jackie was born in 1967 and Tony arrived in 1970.
LESLEY TOOK OUT A TRAINER'S LICENSE
Alan joined the police force in 1974 and finally Lesley settled her little family in Wallumbilla in country Queensland. Tony’s desire to become a jockey saw his devoted mother take out a trainer’s license and the winners dutifully arrived with her first horse Jacton Star — named after Jackie and Tony 31 years ago.
Jackie married Roma racehorse trainer Craig Smith and the first grandchild Tyson was born in 1988.
The Lanes moved again to Finch Hatton, outside Mackay, and then back to Mitchell. In 1996 Alan left the police force and they took on a TAB at Biloela. Lesley bought 55 acres and continued to train winners.
Her proudest moments were when Tony, who became a top jockey, was in the saddle.
Tony married Paula and was stable rider for his brother-in-law, Craig, and lived in Roma.
Much to the delight of Lesley, more grand children arrived — Courtney, Andrew, Aaron and Kaitlyn.
Treatment for a lump in her neck was the fore-runner to countless treatments and operations during her 13-year battle with cancer.
The Lane’s bought a house and stables in Toowoomba in 1998. They operated the TAB at the Moffat Hotel (now Delacy’s Hotel) in Ruthven Street and later took on the Wilsonton outlet.
And with a team of up to 13 horses, courtesy of her band of loyal mares, she finished seventh on the Toowoomba Turf Club trainers’ premiership.
She bought Sweet Chilli for $2,000 from Victoria. The mare won three races straight, finished third and then won another three straight — netting more than $41,000 in prize money.
Lesley bought Style Queen for $3,000. She won three races and more than $25,000 in stakes. After she won, her former owner offered Lesley two more mares, Carissima, which went on to win seven races, and, her favorite, Dance’n’ Sway. They dutifully won and paid for themselves.
Late last month Lesley booked herself into the Toowoomba Hospice, was visited by family and friends over the weekend, and a few days later lost her battle with cancer.
Kaitlyn Lane raised a few smiles when she read her acrostic poem in a final tribute to her grandmother before a packed congregation at Burstow’s Chapel in Toowoomba.
“L is lovely, E is for enormous heart, S is for sweet, L is for loves us, E is for exciting and Y is for yummy food,” she bravely declared.
Craig Morgan’s country song ‘Tough,’ was played during the service, providing a just in-sight into the lady I was honoured to call my friend.
Lesley Lane is now at peace. She was laid to rest with her faithful broodmares looking over the fence from a paddock adjoining the Drayton and Toowoomba cemetery.
