Brian Christopher Lane

Brian Christopher Lane, born on November 7, 1975, in Greensboro, NC, left this plane of existence on August 18, 2025, in Wilmington, NC. For those of you that will understand, he knows where his towel is and will arrive safely at the next destination. He leaves behind his life partner Lindsey Coley, and his two creative and beautiful children, Lily Lane (9), and Hunter Lane (7). They were the loves of his life and his one wish was for them to share their own art and creative endeavors with the world. He only ever wanted them to be happy as themselves. He also leaves behind his best friends, whom he deeply cherished, Jason Marshall and Jason Manning, a.k.a. “The Dudes.” Friends since childhood, they were his chosen family and there were few more important to him than these. You never saw Brian laugh as hard as he laughed with his two best friends. They were his joy, his confidants, and his brothers.

An artist in every way, Brian spent his whole life creating beautiful things. From music to film to writing and reading to designs and drawings, the creative arts were his heart beat. He loved Hunter S. Thompson, Douglas Adams, David Lynch, Tool, Pink Floyd, Broken Lizard, and he quoted thousands of movies and lyrics by heart as part of his daily dialogue. If you listened closely, he'd slide in an "Ed Zachary" or "How's that meow?" just for his own delight. Lindsey put the birthdays on the calendar and Brian brought the party. He created personal events to match the movies with classic friend festivals such as his “Lebowskifest” where bowling, burgers, costumes, and a movie viewing were all included. On the smaller scale, he would consistently match his shirt for the day to the movie he had planned for the family in the evening. Family movie night was a cherished and regular household occurrence. From snacks that matched what was eaten on screen, to decorations, to mood lighting, he was extremely extra in the best of ways. He spent earlier years helping the kids experiment with all the instruments and music making tools he could on Saturday when Mommy had to work. She would come home to jam bands and big plans. He gifted his children a magical childhood.

His true passion was music: listening, creating, and sharing. He studied music in college, he actively performed in different bands throughout the years, and he never was without the next song in his ear. He sang to his babies from the moment they were born and every single night thereafter. He went to see every show he could. At Foo Fighter shows, he regularly was asked if he was related to Dave Grohl (to his delight) and, several times, had to pose for pictures, which he kindly did. From the moment his children were born, he was teaching them to sing and to hear the beauty in every sound. Even when they were babies, when a song came on the radio, he would tell his children who was singing it and the title of the song. He had an amazing knack for knowing all the things when it came to music.

Beyond his encyclopedic knowledge of the arts, Brian was simply one of the best humans. He was loyal to a fault and loved the people he loved in a passionate way. He was kind, he deeply valued honesty, and he was always the calm in the storm.

Brian lived life on his own terms. He never gave way to the popular opinion or the idea of normal. He celebrated individuality and believed deeply in the idea that you never had to grow up. He held tightly to the spark of finding happiness in being your original and unique self.

Preceded in death by his stepfather, Junior Brewer, and his baby sister, Penny Dawn Lane, Brian leaves a heartbroken family and circle of friends in his wake. Surviving him are his life partner Lindsey Coley, daughter Lily Lane, and son Hunter Lane. He leaves behind his heartbroken parents, John Lane of Greensboro, NC and Nancy Brewer of Carolina Beach, NC, along with stepbrothers Michael Shannon Brewer and Ryan Richard Lane; stepsisters Jennifer McKellips and Crystal Pineda. He is also survived by his ex-wife Cindi Hill whom he cared deeply about.

To quote Hunter S. Thompson: "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, 'Wow! What a ride!'"

He had a great ride. He lives on in his children, his art, and our memories. We really wish we could have him back right "meow." With a grin on his face, he would tell us he's "calmer than you are" and, in the end, we might let him win that one last argument. Even if he's broken our hearts, the dude still abides.

A celebration of Brian's remarkable life will be held on Friday, August 22, 2025 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at Halyburton Park Event Venue located at 4099 South 17th Street Wilmington, NC 28412. Please leave memories, photos, and condolences for Brian's family in the Guestbook below.

Services entrusted to Green GoodBye