Promoted to Glory: Lt. Colonel Sheila Lanier
Lt. Colonel Sheila Lanier was Promoted to Glory on Sunday, April 14, 2024, at the age of 71.
A third-generation Salvationist, Sheila Patrice Brewer was born in Concord, NC, on September 26, 1952, to parents Majors Kenneth and Patsy Brewer. She was the oldest of three children.
She spent her childhood in Washington, D.C., Atlanta (Lakewood); Albany, GA; and, Birmingham, AL—where she graduated from high school. She then attended Asbury University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work.
She met the love of her life, Steven Douglas Lanier, and in June 1974, they were married. They entered the Evangeline Booth College (EBC) in 1975 as members of the Companions of Christ session of cadets and were commissioned as Salvation Army officers in June 1977.
Together they shared four corps appointments in Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. They were then appointed to the staff at the Training College in Atlanta where they served for three years.
Following that appointment, they served as Divisional Youth Leaders in the North & South Carolina Division; and then as Territorial Youth Leaders from 1990-1995. The Laniers then returned to the Arkansas-Oklahoma Division—Steve as General Secretary and Sheila as the Women’s Ministries Secretary.
In January 1999, a tragic auto accident took the life of Major Steve Lanier. Following his Promotion to Glory, Major Sheila Lanier returned to Atlanta to serve for a year as the Territorial Women’s Outreach Ministries Secretary. In June 2000, she was sent to serve once again at the EBC, this time as Director of Personnel.
From June 2004-2010, Major Sheila served as Divisional Secretary for Business and then as Divisional Secretary for Personnel in the Florida and North & South Caolina Divisions. In 2011, she was sent back to Territorial Headquarters in Atlanta as Assistant Secretary for Personnel, and later became Secretary for Personnel with the rank of Lt. Colonel. She retired from that appointment in 2019.
Lt. Colonel Sheila Lanier is preceded in death by her husband of 25 years; as well as her parents; and her two siblings, Ken and Cynthia.
She is survived by her children, Blake (Jill) Lanier and Brooke (Daniel) Dao; as well as the joy of her heart, granddaughter Laney Rose Dao.
A Celebration of Life service is scheduled at the Atlanta Temple Corps on Saturday, May 11, 2024. It can be viewed online here.