Lanie George Black III (December 30, 1946 – November 16, 2020) was an American politician, Navy veteran, farmer, poultry producer, chaplain, and substitute teacher from the state of

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

. In 1998, he became the first Republican state representative for Mississippi County, Missouri, since Reconstruction about 150 years ago. In 1996, he was defeated by Fred E. "Gene" Copeland, the Dean of the Missouri House. In 1998, he was elected by defeating former Missouri First Lady

Betty Cooper Hearnes Betty Sue Hearnes (née Cooper; born July 24, 1927) is a Democratic American politician from Missouri. She married Warren E. Hearnes, a recent West Point graduate, on July 2, 1948, while he was on leave from the United States Army, and was his p ...

, his choir director. In the Missouri legislature he often worked with Peter Myers, a former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, who lived in a neighboring district. Black was born on December 30, 1946, in

Cairo, Illinois Cairo ( ) is the southernmost city in Illinois and the county seat of Alexander County. The city is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Fort Defiance, a Civil War camp, was built here in 1862 by Union General Ulysses ...

. He was raised in nearby Charleston, Missouri. Black progressed the Boy Scouts and became an

Eagle Scout Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Sc ...

. In 1965, he graduated from Charleston High School. In 1970, he graduated from

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

, with bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and soon married Ann Rita Cox, his childhood friend, on July 11, 1970. Black attended Navy Officer Candidate School in

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...

, trained as a Navy Deep Sea Diver in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, and spent one year in

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

, eventually becoming a weapons officer and chaplain for the USS ''Beaufort''. He also served as chaplain for the Missouri legislature and taught Sunday School classes for over 45 years. In 1994, Black was named Charleston's Man of the Year. He also served as president and ran the Dogwood Azalea Dog Show, was a longtime member of the Charleston Kiwanis Club, and was an avid golfer. He was married for over 50 years. Black was also an attendant of First Baptist Church in Charleston, Missouri. Black died November 16, 2020, at a nursing home in

Bernie, Missouri Bernie is a city in southern Stoddard County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,958 at the 2010 census. History Bernie was laid out in 1890, and named after Bernice "Bernie" Crumb, the daughter of an early Euro-American settler. A p ...

. He was buried with military honors at the IOOF Cemetery just north of Charleston. Black was a tremendous and influential presence in his church and hometown, and was a man after God's own heart.

References

1946 births 2020 deaths 20th-century American politicians 21st-century American politicians American underwater divers Farmers from Missouri Republican Party members of the Missouri House of Representatives Military personnel from Missouri People from Cairo, Illinois People from Charleston, Missouri United States Navy officers Vanderbilt University alumni {{Missouri-politician-stub