KANNAPOLIS - Dane Demar Laney died early Thursday morning after a long fight with Parkinson's Disease.
If Laney, 75, wasn't the biggest supporter of A.L. Brown athletics, he was at least tied for first. It's not possible that anyone could have loved the Wonders more.
"For 30 years he made a major impact on Wonder athletics through his work with the Kannapolis Booster Club," Kannapolis mayor Doug Wilson said. "He was one of the greatest supporters in the history of the Wonders."
Laney was a permanent Kannapolis Booster Club officer, whether it was directing operations or serving as vice president or secretary. He raised a lot of money and a lot of spirits.
Sports followers of a high school can be notoriously fickle. They come and go, loud in the strong seasons, hard to find in the tough ones.
Laney was always there. He was far more than a fair-weather fan. He was a genuine supporter. No matter who was coaching, no matter what the won-lost record was, he was always a positive voice, an unwavering rock through thick and thin.
Laney was a Wonder football player himself back in the day, graduating with the Class of 1968. He went on to junior colleges before getting a degree in Government Services from Appalachian State.
Bruce Hardin, the former head football coach who directed the Wonders' championship teams in 1989 and 1997, offered a heart-felt tribute to Laney via social media: "You were part of my story when I arrived in Kannapolis in 1989, one of the few constants across all the changes life brings. We shared conversations that still make me smile. You knew my past, believed in my future as a coach for the Wonders and helped me stay grounded. It's hard to imagine a Friday night in Memorial stadium without you. Thank you for being my friend, a life-long one, a rare one, an irreplaceable one. You made days better. You always brought laughter, lightness and a genuine connection. You always turned small talk about football and the Wonders into real conversations about what makes a program a success and important to the community. You always brought kindness to every corner of our school and football family."
When Mike Newsome arrived in Kannap0lis as the new head football coach in 2011, it was Laney who chauffered him around to meet all the sponsors.
Laney's work off the field was in law enforcement. He toiled for the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office. He worked 20-plus years at Catawba College where he served as a public safety officer. He was a campus police sergeant at Davidson College.
Laney was an integral part of Wonder radio for years, working behind the scenes so diehard fans could listen to the voices of Randy Whitley and Buddy Amerson.
In 2017, Scott (Friday Nights in K-Town) Boggs had the idea of bringing back the 1997 3A state champs for a 20th reunion. Boggs credits Laney with making that concept a reality.
"I approached Dane about possibly having a 20th Anniversary Reunion of the 1997 State Champs at the school," Boggs wrote in a tribute on his website. "I suggested bringing them back to Kannapolis Memorial Stadium to honor them pre-game. Dane not only thought it was a great idea, but he personally ran with it, setting up an elaborate pre-game meal, as well as honoring the team on the field. Dane had the love and the foresight to help facilitate the reunion in such a first-class fashion, securing sponsors to pay for the meal and even going so far as to have the team featured on the cover of the 2017 athletic program."