Celebrating the life of
Lorane H. Minis
March 19, 1918 - October 16, 2014
Ms. Lorane H. Minis
SAVANNAH, GA – Ms. Lorane H. Minis, a pioneering woman executive in corporate America, died October 16, 2014. She was 96.
Ambition, energy and intellectual curiosity were the driving forces in Lorane Minis’ life. They carried her from the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression to a demanding and successful career that saw her become the top-ranking woman executive at two Fortune 500 companies at a time when most opportunities were denied to women. In return, she believed in giving back to her community and mentoring young people on the benefits of ethics, thrift and hard work.
She was born Mary Lorane Havely. She spent her early years in Oklahoma, where her father was a participant in the oil boom during and just after World War I. Her father died when she was 6, and her mother moved with her two children to Kansas to be near other family. There, Lorane grew up in the rural town of Mayetta.
Lorane’s childhood activities shaped her future career. She was active as a youngster in the formation of a 4-H chapter, and that organization went on to play a central role in her young life. As a child, she won prizes from the Topeka Daily Capital for cartooning, writing and puzzles on the Junior Page. She won state and national prizes and awards for her sewing and modeling skills through 4-H. She attended Kansas State University on scholarships from Union Pacific and Kansas 4-H Foundation, supplementing with jobs she held while a student, including sewing demonstration garments for faculty members to use in classes. While at college, she won national costume designing awards from three corporations and her portfolio of Indian art was exhibited at the Museum of Natural History in New York City.
The attitudes of the time shut her out of the architecture and veterinary courses that intrigued her, but she parlayed her home economics and art education into a bi-coastal career.
While her first husband, Frank Cooley, was in service during World War II, she worked a variety of jobs, first as assistant to the postmaster at Junction City near Fort Riley, KS, then with the food editor of the Louisville Courier-Journal, where she worked on the first four-color newspaper food photos. She was on the College Board of Mademoiselle Magazine. She worked with the print media throughout much of her career and many years later was involved in the launch of New Woman magazine.
In addition to food and appliance promotions, during the advertising phase of her career she helped produce fashion and cosmetic ads for Vogue magazine and produced television commercials. She traveled the Southeast region in the late 1940s and early 1950s on behalf of International Harvester’s refrigeration division, heading a staff of 20 and utilizing cooking shows to sell freezers and teach homemakers how to wrap and prepare food for and from the freezer. Freezers were a novel invention at the time, and she said her shows were “like pulling a rabbit out of a hat” for many in her audience.
Television was a new medium then, and stations had to produce their own programs to fill broadcast hours outside prime time. Lorane had moved to California, where her early TV experience proved useful. She was recognized by TV Guide as “queen of the guest stars.” While traveling to every major television market in the U.S., she promoted California growers’ and packers’ foods by demonstration while introducing food products. A TV veteran while the technology was still young, she was national vice president of American Women in Radio and Television. She traveled with this group and sometimes alone to international destinations, including the Soviet Union and China.
After working at California & Hawaiian Sugar Company, she moved to its sister company, Dole Hawaiian Pineapple. In subsequent work in the food industry, she supervised test kitchens and worked in product development, labeling, advertising, publicity and public relations, as well as advocating for strong business ethics and consumer rights. She placed coverage of her company’s products on food pages of newspapers and magazines nationwide, plus radio and television. She helped design and carry out advertising campaigns. Her work called for extensive travel, including internationally, at a time when many hotels and restaurants balked at the idea of women traveling alone and sometimes refused rooms or food service to them. In her final year with Dole, an ad she originated was judged second-best food ad in the United States. She organized, supervised and hostessed corporate events.
A job with American Can brought her from California to New York. The company’s many divisions utilized all kinds of materials to package all kinds of products. Her staff ran consumer test panels of products, packaging and labels in addition to producing consumer information and new product ideas. When the merger of eight companies changed that job, she decided to live where she wanted, in the South.
She worked in Fort Lauderdale with a different consumer product, cosmetics. The firm had developed an early line of products utilizing aloe. On behalf of this company, she was involved in the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants during their heyday. Subsequently, she had her own company, I to I: Ideas to Implementation, consulting for national manufacturers of food, textiles and packaging in second-tier markets, predominantly on the Florida Gold Coast.
While she was the second wife of A. Minis Jr., Savannah businessman, she won first place in a worldwide blue marlin fishing tournament in St. Thomas. She retired from her long business career after reaching Savannah and turned her attention to volunteering for humanitarian causes.
Ms. Minis was active many years on the Women’s Board of Bethesda Home for Boys and took an active role in mentoring several young residents there, resulting in lifelong friendships. She sponsored creative arts awards for the boys’ annual competition, continuing a lifelong interest in arts. One of her favorite boards on which she served was the American Heart Association, where her committee doubled the funds raised in a single year. She was named Savannah’s Volunteer of the Year. She painted as a hobby.
Other hobbies included reading, drafting house plans involving time and motion efficiency studies, delving into many religions, and traveling.
She was involved in lifetime learning to the last. She was silently benevolent to many.
With no appetite for politics, she nevertheless assisted in her attorney’s campaign, which saw Phyllis Kravitch (now a federal appeals court judge based in Atlanta) elected as the first woman Superior Court judge in Chatham County. She served on the Metropolitan Planning Commission.
She is survived by many relatives in many states, including nephews, Von Schmidt of Missouri and Paulos Sanna and son David, both of Oregon; cousins Richard Thompson of Texas, Horace Burton of Arizona, Jeannine and Denise LaRue of Maryland, Marlene Eisenring of New Mexico, Deanne Herman, Dennis Blair and Gary Blair, all of Kansas, and Elaine Swanson and Barbara Smith, both of Colorado. Also surviving are a host of friends, colleagues and former employees whose careers she fostered, among them her long-time friend and housekeeper Emma Jean Hall. Also surviving is Susie Q, the latest in a long line of beloved dogs. She wished to express her appreciation to those who helped in her final years.
Her ashes will go to her hometown cemetery in Mayetta, Kansas. At her instruction, no memorial service will be held. She believed in celebrating life.
Please sign our online guestbook at www.foxandweeks.com
Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel
Lorane Minis managed to touch my life in a very short amount of time. She was a patient of mine for physical therapy while I lived in Savannah Georgia. Typical patients spend 1-2 months of their lives with me and then quickly pass through my life. Lorane was anything but ordinary. She and I grew to have an instant friendship which lasted from nearly 10 years up until her recent passing. She loved me as a therapist and continued to do my exercises for several years beyond our time together. She even told me on several occassions that she wouldn't still be alive without my exercises. I don't take credit for that, but sometimes just helping someone develop confidence and understanding of the human body which can improve someone's well being. The funniest part about our relationship was that in our few weeks in which we worked together she saw something more in me. She thought I should broaden my horizons. She encouarged me to further grow my love of writing and to believe in myself as an artist. She encouarged me to enter a writing contest. I didn't win the contest. She wasn't happy with my main conclusion. But she affected my life more than any of the thousands of patients I have worked with during the 12 years of my career. She and I would speak on the phone several times a years. She even managed to contact my mother and foster a relationship with her as well. Lorane is an amazing person. I am so thankful to have her in my life. She lead a life which was enough to fill 10 lifetimes. She was a trendsetter. She was a strong and independent woman. I will miss her greatly. I am saddened to hear of her passing. The Bucki Family will always love you, Lorane.
- Gregory Bucki, Pittsburgh, PA
Lorane was my mothers first cousin.I have known her since I was adopted as a young girl.She and I have been together only a few times in person. However, we had ongoing chats on the phone for many years. We shared much of our daily life, and the past, and hopes for the future. She was one of my biggest cheerleaders.I will always love you and carry you in my heart wherever I go! And blessings and good future to you dear Suzie Q !Carmela Jacobsen Harlan Iowa
- Carmela Jacobsen, Harlan , Iowa
Lorane was one of a very few persons who played such an important role in the direction of my life. She was my first employer (at Aloe Cosmetics in Fort Lauderdale, FL). I never stopped learning from her, and together with her guidance, exposure and experiences with her, I broke out of my shell and have felt the strength and confidence she instilled in me ever since. I am sure she touched many lives as she did mine, and I am so sorry that I didn't get to speak with her one last time. She will always be in my heart. And I hope someone is taking good care of her "Suzie Q"!
- Cathy Walton, Fort Lauderdale, FL
That is Plano Texas.
- Theresa Eberly, Plano, Tx
Really will miss you, Lorane! We had our weekly telephone chats which included growing up in Mayetta, Kansas. RIP. Theresa
- Theresa Eberly, Plano, Ks
I met Loranne at a "neighborhood gathering" on Amsterdam Circle in 2002. What a magnificent woman! I talked to her many times. One time she dialed the wrong number, realized who I was and then went on to have a long conversation with me! I LOVED that woman! SPUNKY? You betcha! She and I both graduated from K-State so we bonded immediately in this southern town! She was just delightful, so full of information, so intelligent, yet she had a warm and endearing interior. She was "one of a kind"! I just lost my husband and went to look at his tributes and saw her biography. I knew some of it but I was still amazed at how much she had done! What a great lady you had the privledge to know PERSONALLY! I envy you! I wish I'd known her longer and better! She and Chuck (Charles St. Arnaud) are having a conversation in Heaven as we mourn their passing. They will be "reorganizing heaven" if God doesn't find a job for both of them SOON! They are both "movers and shakers"! Our great honor to have met and talked to Loranne, even if it was in her latter years, and we only knew her briefly. She was an incredible force! God Bless you and her! Carol (and Chuck) St. Arnaud
- Carol St. Arnaud, Savannah, GA
Lorane Minis managed to touch my life in a very short amount of time. She was a patient of mine for physical therapy while I lived in Savannah Georgia. Typical patients spend 1-2 months of their lives with me and then quickly pass through my life. Lorane was anything but ordinary. She and I grew to have an instant friendship which lasted from nearly 10 years up until her recent passing. She loved me as a therapist and continued to do my exercises for several years beyond our time together. She even told me on several occassions that she wouldn't still be alive without my exercises. I don't take credit for that, but sometimes just helping someone develop confidence and understanding of the human body which can improve someone's well being. The funniest part about our relationship was that in our few weeks in which we worked together she saw something more in me. She thought I should broaden my horizons. She encouarged me to further grow my love of writing and to believe in myself as an artist. She encouarged me to enter a writing contest. I didn't win the contest. She wasn't happy with my main conclusion. But she affected my life more than any of the thousands of patients I have worked with during the 12 years of my career. She and I would speak on the phone several times a years. She even managed to contact my mother and foster a relationship with her as well. Lorane is an amazing person. I am so thankful to have her in my life. She lead a life which was enough to fill 10 lifetimes. She was a trendsetter. She was a strong and independent woman. I will miss her greatly. I am saddened to hear of her passing. The Bucki Family will always love you, Lorane.
- Gregory Bucki, Pittsburgh, PA
Lorane was my mothers first cousin.I have known her since I was adopted as a young girl.She and I have been together only a few times in person. However, we had ongoing chats on the phone for many years. We shared much of our daily life, and the past, and hopes for the future. She was one of my biggest cheerleaders.I will always love you and carry you in my heart wherever I go! And blessings and good future to you dear Suzie Q !Carmela Jacobsen Harlan Iowa
- Carmela Jacobsen, Harlan , Iowa
Lorane was one of a very few persons who played such an important role in the direction of my life. She was my first employer (at Aloe Cosmetics in Fort Lauderdale, FL). I never stopped learning from her, and together with her guidance, exposure and experiences with her, I broke out of my shell and have felt the strength and confidence she instilled in me ever since. I am sure she touched many lives as she did mine, and I am so sorry that I didn't get to speak with her one last time. She will always be in my heart. And I hope someone is taking good care of her "Suzie Q"!
- Cathy Walton, Fort Lauderdale, FL
That is Plano Texas.
- Theresa Eberly, Plano, Tx
Really will miss you, Lorane! We had our weekly telephone chats which included growing up in Mayetta, Kansas. RIP. Theresa
- Theresa Eberly, Plano, Ks
I met Loranne at a "neighborhood gathering" on Amsterdam Circle in 2002. What a magnificent woman! I talked to her many times. One time she dialed the wrong number, realized who I was and then went on to have a long conversation with me! I LOVED that woman! SPUNKY? You betcha! She and I both graduated from K-State so we bonded immediately in this southern town! She was just delightful, so full of information, so intelligent, yet she had a warm and endearing interior. She was "one of a kind"! I just lost my husband and went to look at his tributes and saw her biography. I knew some of it but I was still amazed at how much she had done! What a great lady you had the privledge to know PERSONALLY! I envy you! I wish I'd known her longer and better! She and Chuck (Charles St. Arnaud) are having a conversation in Heaven as we mourn their passing. They will be "reorganizing heaven" if God doesn't find a job for both of them SOON! They are both "movers and shakers"! Our great honor to have met and talked to Loranne, even if it was in her latter years, and we only knew her briefly. She was an incredible force! God Bless you and her! Carol (and Chuck) St. Arnaud
- Carol St. Arnaud, Savannah, GA
Services under the direction of:
Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel
912-352-7200
