Dr. Osmos Lanier, Jr. died peacefully at home in Savannah, GA on April 2, 2020 at the age of 84.

Dr. Lanier was born on September 11th, 1935 in Shawmut, AL to Osmos Lanier, Sr. and Jewel Causey Lanier. He attended Valley High School, received his B.A. in History from LaGrange College in 1957 and his Master’s degree from Auburn University in 1959. He earned his Doctoral degree from The University of Georgia in 1965.

In 1964, Dr. Lanier taught at North Georgia College where he founded the Sigma Theta Chapter of the Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society. The following year he settled in Savannah, GA to pursue his career at Armstrong State College where he taught History full time until 1997. Dr. Lanier, emeritus professor, returned to teach part-time at Armstrong from 2000 through 2015. Armstrong’s Hawes Hall dedicated the Lanier conference room in his honor in 2015 and he was later recognized on the Armstrong State University Wall of Fame in Burnett Hall.

Dr. Lanier was an Eagle Scout and an accomplished singer and athlete. He was a Little League Baseball coach for fifteen years. Most of all Dr. Lanier loved family, music, sports, and yardwork. He was a passionate supporter of social justice and equal rights throughout his adult life.

Dr. Lanier is survived by his wife, Francine Tuten Lanier; his children, Janet Lynn Lanier and husband Michael Ramos of Hendersonville, NC, Osmos Weston Lanier and wife Wendy of Savannah, GA, George Gregory Lanier and wife Rachel of Chattanooga, TN, and Timothy William Lanier-Powell and wife Elizabeth of Atlanta, GA; step-children Lisa Powell of Savannah, GA, Chip Powell and husband Bob Werblin of Atlanta, GA; granddaughters Sydney and Whitney Lanier of Savannah, GA, Amber Mathias of Columbia, SC, Caitlin Mathias and Alaina V Holmes of Savannah, GA.  In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his Sister Rebecca Nichols of LaGrange, GA.

Due to current national health concerns, the family will hold a private burial.  A memorial service will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family would encourage donations to the Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity,   http://www.habitatsavannah.org/ or to Second Harvest Food Bank, https://www.helpendhunger.org/.