Ken E. Lane, 56, of Eaton, Indiana, passed away after a hard fight during his brief illness on Friday, July 10, 2026, at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital with his family by his side.
Ken was born Dec. 12, 1969, in Crawfordsville, to Daniel and Jeanne (Nichols) Lane. He graduated from North Montgomery High School in 1988 and from Ball State University in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
On Oct. 14, 1994, he married Melissa Murray and together they made their home in Eaton. Their family expanded to include their children: Aaron and Collin.
Ken most recently worked for Duckworth Home Improvement but had also worked as a manager at McClure Oil as well as the director of Little Blessings Day Care in Eaton.
Ken was a loving husband and father who loved spending time with his family. He loved the outdoors, enjoyed hunting and was a member of the NRA. He enjoyed watching the Colts, race-time with his friends, and fireworks.
He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Melissa Lane; their children, Aaron Murray and Collin Lane (Rachel); sister Valerie Astleford (Bert); brothers, Joe Carlisle (Becky) and Tony Murray (Erica); mother-in-law Sherry Murray, aunt Florence Briggs; several nieces, nephews and their pets, Stormy, Cass and Charlie.
Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Daniel and Jeanne Lane.
Memorial services will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, July 17 at Pitman-Richman Funeral Home, 200 S. Hartford St., Eaton, with Pastor Glenn Greiner officiating. Bonus points for wearing Colts or other sports attire or camo and ball caps welcome. Visitation will be prior to the service from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his name to the Animal Rescue Fund, 109 W. Riggin Road, Muncie, IN 47303.
Ken’s family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the nurses, doctors and staff at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, especially those in the PCU, ICU and ER units for their excellent care of Ken and his family.
