Northridge Remembers Local Advocate For Adults With Disabilities

NORTHRIDGE, CA — After a lifetime of service to his San Fernando Valley community, Ken Lane's memory lives on in The Adult Skills Center, a nonprofit organization to serve adults with disabilities.

Lane, 71, died in October. His wife, Donna Lane, and his peers at The Adult Skills Center organized a memorial service to honor his memory on Monday. Donna Lane said the memorial was beautiful and reflected the significant effect her husband had on his community.

"It was all aspects of his life. His family, his work, his advocacy and his kindness," she said. "People really talked about how kind he was — and respectful — and how he really impacted their life. That felt really good to me."

Ken Lane founded The Adult Skills Center in 1987 and served as executive director for 33 years, during which time the center grew from serving 12 clients to serving more than 200 a year. Ken Lane's natural curiosity and warmth made him perfect for this type of work, Donna Lane said.

“Ken was an incredibly caring, generous, kindhearted leader and friend who wanted nothing but the best for others, especially for the individuals within the community whom TASC supports,” said Dennis Rutnam, the center's executive director. “Even though he is no longer with us, his impact on our lives will always be felt. His immeasurable gift will live on through his legacy of serving others and through the effect he has had on all of us.”

Ken Lane himself became physically disabled when he was 26 as a result of a stroke.

"This was a life-changing event for him. His gift of relentless optimism provided him with the ability to succeed in several areas, including his career, in advocacy and in love of life," said Christie Hight, the center's communications director, in a news release.

Ken Lane involved himself in political and legislative advocacy as well. After opening the center, he realized that to support individuals with disabilities he needed to secure funding. He spent significant time lobbying local politicians and working with local businesses and service providers, Donna Lane said. He received an award for legislative advocacy in 2017.

Donna Lane worked alongside her husband as a clinical psychologist for adults with developmental disabilities. She went back to school when she was 54 after having worked in social services. None of it would have been possible, she said, without Ken.

"We were a team. We both loved advocating for clients with developmental disabilities. So he really changed my life, too, like so many others. He really did change my life, too," she said.

Since his death, people tell her how special her husband was, she said.

"I don’t know how to help [people] understand that this man was amazing. Because you hear that all the time; you hear that all the time about people," Donna Lane said. "So many people said that he changed their life. You don't hear that [often]. ... My home is flooded with flowers and cards."

To Donna Lane, the outpouring of love was touching to see but didn't come as a surprise.

"I always used to tease him and tell him, ‘Honey, you’re important!’ But this really proved my point. The outpouring of love from so many people in the disability community and his friendships," she said. "He really is going to be missed by many."

Donna Lane said she felt confident that her husband's influence on the San Fernando Valley will continue through The Adult Skills Center's work.

"His memory — I can feel it, I can feel it — it’s just going to carry on through the work of all those others that have known Ken," Donna Lane said.