Dewey Calvin Bane

• Posted on: 12, 10, 2015
• By : David Brooks 
• Categories : Past Obituaries 
• Comment : 1

Funeral services for Mr. Dewey C. Bane will be 1:00 P.M. Saturday, December 12, 2015, at Ligon & Bobo Funeral Home with Bro. David Haun officiating.  Interment with military honors will follow at Prosperity Cemetery in Prosperity.  Visitation Friday 4-8 PM and Saturday after 11 AM at Ligon & Bobo.

Mr. Bane, age 91 of Lebanon passed away Tuesday, December 8, 2015, at his home.

Dewey Calvin Bane was born on August 18, 1924 near Milton, Tennessee, the second child of Calvin Isaac Bane and Hattie Mai Rogers Bane. His 20 month old brother, Gilbert, died a day or so before his birth to their young parents.  They welcomed thirteen more children over the years, of whom four have preceded him, Roy Elmer Bane, William Luther Bane, Mary Eleanor Bane, and Jimmy Earl Bane and nine survive.

In the early 1930s the family moved to Georgia where they lived until moving back to Tennessee around 1941. He joined the US Navy and served as Boatswain’s mate second class during WWII, shipping out from California. Navy muster rolls in July 1944 show him sailing from the Marshall Islands to Guam Island aboard the U.S.S. Zeilin. He related stories over the years of having been stationed there, where he was in charge of ferrying soldiers from the ship to shore. He was aboard the U.S.S. Missouri when the treaty of surrender with the Japanese was signed on September 2, 1945, ending the Second World War.

After returning home from service to his family in Tennessee, he had a deep desire for serving God. He was saved and attended every church revival he could in the area near Smith County. He met his wife, Thelma Duluth Ray Bane, who predeceased him in 2010, at a church there and they were married on July 19, 1947 when he was 22 years old. Their children were a son, William Dewey Bane, who passed away in November 2014, and a daughter, Mary Alice Bane McCaleb who survives him along with four grandchildren, Elizabeth Colleen Bane; William Ryan Bane, wife Amanda and two children, James & Alyson;  Andrew Steven McCaleb; and Laura Alyssa McCaleb Peglow, husband Matthew.  Also surviving are nine siblings, Willie B. Bane, wife Mary;  Gladys Evelyn Bane Hart, husband Raymond; James Buford Bane, wife Stella; Freddie Myers Bane; Johnny Calvin Bane, wife Jacqueline; Betty Grace Bane Grisham, husband Roger; Carl Lee Bane, wife Joyce; Joyce Bane Lovett, husband Don; and Hubert Bane, wife Joyce; many nieces and nephews.

During the great depression, he was trained in woodworking as a part of the WPA program for youth, and after the war was able to obtain work which led to his lifetime career as a cabinetmaker. He owned his own workshop and made many sets of beautiful antique reproduction furniture and passed along his knowledge and artistry to several in the family.

A natural leader, his lifelong focus was on serving God and the church and over the years held many positions as Sunday school teacher, song leader, Sunday School Superintendent and Deacon in the Church of God of Prophecy. He was called to preach and was appointed over a mission in Watertown, Tennessee which was later organized into a church which he pastored for many years. He and his wife gave of their time, labor and finances and the church at Watertown was built. He made a practice of picking up nieces, nephews and others and taking them to Sunday school and church and touched many lives with his outreach and dedication to sharing the gospel. Until the end, he had an extensive prayer list and his passion was ministering to others. He considered his service to the church and his Lord his life’s occupation and achievement and many have been brought to salvation through his efforts.