THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 19, 1996 TAG: 9607190086
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E12 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 34 lines
THE TIDEWATER WINDS will present a tribute concert at 7:30 p.m. today to the late Arthur J. Lancaster Jr. at Willett Hall in Portsmouth. It is free.
The concert will combine marches and Broadway melodies, which were Lancaster's favorites. The audience, led by Betty Burnell, director of Portsmouth Museums, will sing his favorite civic club song, ``Smile - Sing a Song.''
An active leader in the Kiwanis and Ruritan clubs, he inspired the drive that established the Bennett's Creek Rescue Squad. Among his many charities was the Lancaster Spiritual Educational Center at Mary View Nursing Care Center.
Another of his causes was the Ziegler Recreation and Therapy Building at the Holiday House.
A native of Portsmouth, Lancaster went to work for Coleman's Nursery in 1951 and was its owner from 1965 to 1980. He helped develope the nursery's annual Winter Wonderland, a spectacular Christmas show of lights, tableaus and toys that delights children.
While working with the Virginia Railway in his youth he became entranced with trains and amassed a huge collection of toy electric trains, which he gave two years ago to the Children's Museum.
At Lancaster's death in February, the Rev. Raymond Edmonds, pastor of Monumental United Methodist Church in Portsmouth, observed: ``He was always active, even when he was incapacitated. He had such a spirit to live and give. He was generous in all ways.''
``His main driving force was people,'' said Wayne Sawyer, a friend. ``Some people want to make money. Junie wanted to bring people out and bring them together.'' by CNB