In Memoriam, 0519 COBJ, Vol. 48, No. 5 Pg. 68
| Position | Vol. 48, 5 [Page 68] |
IN MEMORIAM
G. Lane Earnest
May 12, 1938—March 9, 2019
John W. Low
August 7, 1923—March 27, 2019
Prominent Boulder attorney and community member G. Lane Earnest—known throughout Colorado as "Earnie the attorney"— passed away on March 9,2019, in the company of his family and close friends.
A third-generation Coloradan, Earnie was born on May 12,1938, and grew up in Denver. He graduated from Denver's South High in 1956 and received his bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado in 1960. While at CU, Earnie met and married "the light of his life" Barbara, and then began his first year at CU's Law School. The next year, Earnie and Barb had their first child, Hillary. After graduating from law school in 1963, Earnie began military service in Charlottesville, Virginia, training at the U.S. Army's JAG School. Earnie and Barb's son, Keith, was born in 1964 while they were serving at Fort Knox. Earnie served as the legal officer at Fitzsimons Army Hospital from 1964 to 1966. Upon the conclusion of his military service, he was awarded the U.S. Army's Commendation Medal for excellence in leadership.
Earnie and Barb returned to Boulder in 1966, and Earnie began his 45-year legal career. After a stint in the Boulder County District Attorney's Office as chief deputy prosecutor, in 1969 he and Jerry Caplan formed the Boulder law firm of Caplan and Earnest (which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year). Earnie served as general counsel for Boulder Community and Platte Valley hospitals, as general counsel to the Boulder Board of Realtors for over 35 years, and as co-counsel for litigation and corporate matters for the CU Foundation for many years.
According to Caplan and Earnest, "Earnie helped establish a culture of excellence built on a sense that a successful legal practice arises out of a well-rounded life of family, friends, colleagues, and community." He was the host and voice of the Fourth of July fireworks celebration at Folsom Field for 30 years. He was master of ceremonies at countless community events, including the ribbon-cutting of the Pearl Street Mall in 1977 and the annual dinner of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce. He served as president of the CU Alumni Association, the Boulder Rotary Club, and the Boulder County Bar Association, and was campaign chair for Boulder County United...
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