James Lanius

James Milton Lanius, a life-long servant of God and preacher of the Gospel, died on September 6, 2022. He was 84 years old when he passed away from pneumonia at Alive Hospice in the company of his beloved wife of 58 years, Janis Lanius.

James graduated from Lipscomb University and was drafted into the United States Army as a part of Company F, 398th Regiment (BCT). After that, he was a dedicated preacher of the Gospel in the Churches of Christ all over the United States from Montana down to Florida, but mostly in Middle Tennessee. He was also registered as a Certified Public Accountant up until the end of 2021, however, he retired from American General several years prior. He was a life-long member of The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

In addition to his CPA and preaching careers, James had an affinity for all things music. He was one of the founding members of the 1950s doo wop band, The Crescendos. Their hit song “Oh Julie” reached #4 on the U.S. R&B chart and #5 on the U.S. pop chart in 1959. The single ranked #47 on Billboard's Year-End top 50 singles of 1958, according to Wikipedia. He loved playing guitar, singing, and whistling any tune he could think up, much to the chagrin of his close family.

“He loved to cut up and had a wonderful voice,” said Bob Niebel, his brother-in-law. Bob and James were roommates in college, which is how Bob ended up meeting and marrying James’s sister Joyce.

James was born on May 21, 1938, in Nashville, TN, to James Robert Lanius and Zelda McCool Lanius. He had one brother named Gary Lanius and two sisters, Joyce Lanius Niebel and Sylvia Lanius. He is survived by his wife Janis Lanius, his sisters Joyce Lanius Niebel (Bob) and Sylvia Lanius, his three sons Ron Fuqua (Anita), Tim Fuqua (Lisa), and Jeff Lanius (Holly), one daughter-in-law Michelle Lanius Davis, his nine grandchildren: Jenna Fuqua Malcolm (Zac), Jake Fuqua (Katie), Mason Lanius, Caylor Lanius, Megan Lanius, Olivia Lanius Knotts (Matthew), Joshua Lanius, Wesley Fuqua, and Elaina Fuqua, and two great-grandchildren (Barren and Harlow Malcolm). He is preceded in death by his parents James and Zelda Lanius, his brother Gary Lanius, and his son Michael Lanius.

There will be a graveside service at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Nashville, TN, on Friday, September 9, 2022, at 1 p.m. and a celebration of life at the Mt. Juliet Church of Christ in Mt. Juliet, TN, following the graveside service from 3:30-5:30 p.m. To send flowers to the family by visiting their website.