Cleaning Industry Loses 35-Year Leader

Charles O. Lane, a driving force in making National Sanitary Supply Co. a leader in the industry, passed away on December 10, 2019.

Charles (Chuck) Lane worked at National Sanitary Supply for 35 years with his partner Bob Garber and his brother Tom Lane, an ISSA past president who currently serves on the ISSA Charities board of directors.

Tom Lane remembers when National Sanitary Supply was sold. “In 1983 we sold the company, and at that time, the Lane family owned 50%. When we looked at the records, my mom Pearl Lane owned 24.75%, Chuck owned 13.1215%, and I owned 12.1312%. However, on the documents, Chuck changed the number by hand so that he had 12.6263% and I had 12.6263%. He wanted us to have equal shares.”

Charles Lane was born to Edward and Pearl Lane on May 6, 1930 in Philadelphia. He attended Philadelphia’s Central High School, and in 1948 his family moved to Los Angeles. He attended UCLA, where he met his future wife, Ellen. They were married in February of 1952 and had three children, Robin, Jon, and Daniel.

Prior to working at National Sanitary Supply, Charles Lane was a staff sergeant in the Army from 1952 to 1954. After his retirement, he and his wife moved to Palm Desert, California in 1999. He loved golf. He was a devoted and loving husband, father, brother, cousin, and friend.

A memorial service was held on Sunday, December 15, at Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary in Culver City, California.