OBITUARIES

In Loving Memory of Matthew Lanier

January 9, 1935 to August 28, 2026

With love and gratitude, the family of Matthew Lanier, Sr., 91, of Highland Falls, New York, shares that he passed away peacefully on August 28, 2026.

Matthew was born on January 9, 1935, in Jones, Alabama, to the late Lewis “Papa Sam” Lanier and Lucy (Callens) Lanier. At an early age, he was baptized and became a member of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Jones, Alabama, where his faith took root and remained a guiding presence throughout his life. He was raised in Alabama and received his early education at the Autauga County Training School.

In 1954, Matthew relocated to Highland Falls, New York. It was there that he began a long and distinguished career as a federal employee at the United States Military Academy at West Point. During his tenure, he served faithfully in several positions until, after more than three decades of federal service, he retired in 1989 after a career marked by loyalty, diligence, and pride in a job well done.

Matthew was a faithful member of St. Mark's Baptist Church in Highland Falls, NY, where he generously gave of his time and leadership. He served as a Deacon, as Head of the Deacon Board, and as Head of the Trustee Board, offering his wisdom and dedication to his church family for many years.

Retirement did not slow Matthew down. He went on to drive school buses for Bosch’s Garage Bus Company and West Point Tours, a role that brought him great joy. He cherished the time he spent with the children on his route, and he built lifelong relationships with many of the families he came to know along the way. Those who rode his bus remember him not just as a driver, but as a warm and familiar presence in their daily lives.

Matthew was deeply rooted in his community. He took great pleasure in the simple joys of life, spending time with his family, neighbors and friends, sharing stories, and building the kind of relationships that made his adopted community feel like home. He will be remembered as a kind, dependable, and beloved figure by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Matthew leaves behind a legacy of love, service, and devotion to family. He is survived by his loving wife, Bertha (Thompson) Lanier; his two sons, Matthew Lanier, Jr. (wife Celeste) and Marcus Lanier; his grandchildren, Nairobi Lanier, Noah Lanier, Jackson Lanier, Morgan Lanier, Oliver Lanier, and Matthew “Max” Lanier, III; his sisters, Adele Barry and Mederia Hatcher; his sisters in law, Lucinda Lanier, Linda Gooden and Jacqueline Johnson (husband Caleb); and a host of loving nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lewis Lanier and Lucy Lanier; his daughter, Laura Toinette Lanier; and his siblings, Thurman, Julia, Aldrich, Evelyn, Ruby, Eddie Lewis, Frank, George, Daisy, Lela, Willie B. and Rayfield.

Matthew Lanier, Sr. will be remembered for his strength, his devotion to his family, and the countless lives he touched through his years of service. His memory will forever live on in the hearts of all who loved him.