One Last Wag for 'Wordbones'

In a disclaimer at the bottom of Dennis Lane’s blog, Tales of Two Cities, he wrote, “If the content presented here offends you in some way you are probably taking yourself too seriously.”

Lane, who blogged under the moniker Wordbones, wasn’t one to take life too seriously.

At his memorial on Tuesday afternoon this fact came into focus. It was a well-attended gathering, perhaps over 300 people. The sky was blue, and Lane’s favorite subjects were assembled—the politicians of Howard County, his friends and his family.

They were there to remember Lane, 58, who was killed in his Ellicott City home last month. Police charged Lane’s daughter, Morgan Arnold, 14, and her boyfriend Jason Bulmer, 19, in the killing.

But on Tuesday, the tragic nature of Lane’s death took a backseat to the happiness of his life.

Perhaps one of the best moments was a story told by one of his fraternity brothers.

Bill Gagliano said he met Lane at John Carroll University on the first day of their freshman orientation.

“Dennis really could befriend anybody,” said Gagliano.

Over time the two became friends, then fraternity brothers. During their senior year in 1977, Lane starred as Moses in a parody play about Exodus on what was called "Stunt Night", in which students poked fun at other students, faculty and the university.

Lane and Gagliano worked on the script together, which was reviewed by their Jesuit professors. The professors had asked them not to stray from the script during the performance.

But there was one catch, the two didn’t write out the stage directions on the script, only the speaking lines, according to Gagliano.

“There was one line where Moses is walking around in his robe, has a big branch and he’s going to part the Red Sea,” explained Gagliano. “Dennis was supposed to say ‘behold my rod, it becomes a snake.’”

But instead, recalled Gagliano, Lane lifted up his robe, which was concealing a can with a coiled snake in it, popped the lid and the snake went shooting across the stage.

As a history of John Carroll University notes, “Stunt Night was discontinued in 1977.”

The story brought a roar of laughter to the crowd seated at Merriweather. But there were also tears.

Denise Geiger, Lane’s fiancé, told the crowd how Lane and her began dating after he saved her a chair at Clyde’s following a show at Merriweather.

“He pulled out all the stops,” said Geiger. Two years later they were engaged.

She said Lane liked to say ‘I got married on the same night I had a heart attack’ after she told him it would be easier to handle medical staff if they told them they were married.

“He just lived everyday to enjoy the wonderful parts of being alive,” said Geiger, who was inside the home the couple shared together the night of his murder. She said that night was filled with terror.

“I need you to know that he saved my life in the last few moments of his life,” said Geiger, who has not spoken publicly about the night Lane was killed.

The afternoon was also filled with heartfelt moments. Dick Story, the former head of the Howard County Economic Development Association, told a story about how Lane, a commercial real estate agent, helped to keep a large Northrup Grumman regional office in Columbia.

Tom Coale, a fellow blogger and friend of Lane, said Lane "made living in Howard County feel bigger."

Ally Hapel, Geiger's daughter, gave a toast to Lane and said, "To me, you will always be a friend, a mentor and a dad. Here's to you."

Lane’s sisters—Barbara Sandusky, Pat Shelby, Maura Lane, and Kelly Lane—shared anecdotes about their brother.

“One of Dennis’ last wishes was to have an Irish wake… and here we are,” said Sandusky.

And Shelby talked about how they all competed to be Dennis' favorite sister, adding, “I was his favorite sister.”

“He didn’t fear flops and he wore success with a very big smile,” said Maura Lane.

While Kelly Lane added, “he was a great family man, diligent writer, jester, pundit, but most of all, as this proves today, friend."

Dave Bittner, the producer of the weekly podcast Lane delivered with co-host Paul Skalny, talked about Lane as a father. About how he dutifully attended parent-teacher conferences, helped Arnold with her homework, took her on a hot air balloon ride and encouraged her to share her love of videos with him. 

“The achievement he was proudest of… was being a dad,” said Bittner, who finished his speech by saying. “Of all that can be said of Dennis, the truest is this: He loved his daughter with all of his heart.”

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