Biography: Ms.  April Dunham Lane of Little Rock departed this life on September 23, 2023, at the age of 75.  She was born on April 18, 1948, in Little Rock, Arkansas to Leon and Rose (Glover) Dunham.  She grew up in the central Arkansas area, mainly Little Rock.  After graduating from Hall High school, April went on to obtain a Bachelor of Elementary Education from Ouachita Baptist University and then a Master of Social Work from UALR. 

She is survived by the love of her life, John Lane of Mena, their son John Quincy “Jay” Lane (Angie) of Little Rock, their daughter Kimberly Lane Pierce (Micheal) of Springdale, her sisters- Nancy Taylor (Rusty) of Hernando Mississippi, Leann Broadway Pearson (Bill) of Benton.  She is also survived by her three grandchildren, Lane Pierce of Fayetteville, Emma Pierce of Springdale, and Aubry Lane of Little Rock and a host of nieces/nephews, their children and of course two dear friends, Debbie Tillery and Betty Farrar both of Little Rock that were often referred to as her “other sisters.” 

She is proceeded in death by both of her parents, her brother Thomas Quinn, and her brother-in-law Dewey Broadway. 

When you think of April you think of many words:  selfless, strong, genuine, resilient, loving, constant, empathetic, good listener, caring, compassionate, and accepting.  All these traits served her well in her career and calling as a medical/ hospice social worker for over 30 years.  Whether she was helping a family deal with grief and loss or helping a client get their lights turned back on, she always did it with an uplifting servant’s heart.  She believed the best way to minister to people was through actions of grace, love, and humility.  She always had time to help others or to listen by having a cup of coffee (her favorite drink especially in the morning) with them while untangling their issues and concerns. Her day did not start until she had a perfect cup (or 3) of coffee and a few moments to write down her thoughts and prayers.  She loved writing and journaling as selfcare, self-expression, and to worship God.   Whatever bump in the road of life she had, she handled it with determination, distraction, prayer, and a great pair of high heels.  Over the years the high heels turned into a great pair of tennis shoes.  She was the family historian, and, in that position, she was always informing us of family history and quizzing her children about family items and events.

It is no wonder that Family was the most important things in her life.  She made it a point to celebrate and be at all family member’s birthdays, anniversaries, or any other special occasions that were happening.  If she could not be there, then she sent a card so that you knew she was thinking about you.  She was lovingly referred to as Grammy, and Grammy’s favorite thing to do was to watch her grandchildren in all their school and life activities, whether it was cheerleading, plays, sports, dances, or music concerts. 

She was determined to learn about cell phones and modern technology to communicate and keep up with the grands and their friends.  She loved sending them memes, funny pictures, and jokes just to say thinking of you.  After retiring, one of her favorite new titles was “the Grammy groupie” to her grandson’s newfound love of singing and playing guitar at local spots in Fayetteville.  She was always good for a Starbucks run, a mani/pedi, or a long snuggle on the couch with a good book.   Another love of hers was taking a road trip to her favorite spots, the cabin in Mena, the beaches of the Gulf, and the desert outside of Sante Fe.  She was always looking for the perfect place to “sit on a rock,” pause and contemplate life and what a full and well life she lived. 

Visitation will be from 5pm-7pm on Wednesday September 27, 2023, Ruebel Funeral Home.  The funeral will be held at 10am on Thursday September 28, 2023, at Pulaski Heights Baptist Church with burial immediately following at Roselawn Cemetery.    

Special thank you to Rev. Kim Munns Johnson and her father Rev. Jim Munns for conducting the service.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her honor to CARTI or BSA Troop 6059 at First Christian Church in Little Rock.
Arrangements are under the direction of RuebelFuneralHome.com