The Honourable Gerald (Bud) F. Lang, L.L.B., K.C.
August 19, 1932 to November 2, 2024
Obituary
The service will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend.
To view the service please click HERE
The Honourable Gerald (Bud) F. Lang, L.L.B., K.C., loved four things – his family, his friends, the law and the Regatta.
Born in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador to Beaumont-Hamel survivor James Patrick Lang and Jean Gosse-Lang, proprietress of Gosse’s Pub, Bud was proud of his humble roots. Educated at St. Bon’s, St. Francis Xavier University and Dalhousie University, life didn’t really begin until he met his true love and future wife, Yvonne Down. When Raylene appeared, it became “we three.” Yvonne made their house a home. Everyday Bud would leave the courthouse and enjoy lunch with his wife. Their dedication and devotion to each other was unparalleled and an example to us all.
Bud said if you had a handful of true friends, you were blessed. Those five friends know who they are and his life would have been very different if it wasn’t for them. It’s friendships that have lasted through generations.
Bud ended his career at the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, Trials Division, but his commitment to his work began on day one working as a lawyer with the Honourable Derek Lewis, K.C., Senator. As City of St. John’s Solicitor under trailblazer Mayor Dorothy Wyatt, he faced significant municipal responsibilities, not least of which was getting picked up in a snowplow during a winter storm so he could get to work at City Hall.
He was appointed to the bench by the Right Honourable Jean Chrétien, Minister of Justice. On the night of the expected call from the Minister, Raylene was ordered to stay off the phone – not easy for a 15 year-old girl. Bud’s appointment was one of Yvonne’s proudest moments.
“We three” became “we five” with grandchildren Claudia and James. Nothing made him happier than taking them every year to the Royal St. John’s Regatta, an event he enjoyed more than Christmas. It was mandatory to “play the wheel” with St. John’s legend, Edgar Hartery. As a young man, Bud won numerous championship rowing races at the Regatta with the St. Bon’s Rowing Team. He volunteered as a member of the Regatta Committee for many years. As a result, later in life he was made Honorary Life Member of the Royal St. John’s Regatta Committee.
Among numerous other volunteer activities, he was Vice-Chair of St. Patrick’s Mercy Home and Honorary Solicitor for the Newfoundland and Labrador Command of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Yvonne, Raylene, Claudia and James are immensely grateful to the loving and devoted caregivers, nurses, doctors and all the employees at the Tiffany Village Retirement Residence. They were consistently so kind, tender, respectful and treated Bud as you would cherished family.
Bud Lang was a solid human being. He was ethical and principled. Despite the atrocities he saw as a judge, he was a man of immense religious faith. He believed in the saints, the church and the kindness of humanity.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at Carnell’s Funeral Home, 329 Freshwater Road, St. John’s. Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at 11 a.m., at the Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, 200 Military Rd, St. John’s.
Flowers are welcome and donations can be made to the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation https://cancercarefoundation.ca/donate/
He will always be loved and in our hearts.
Schedule
Visitations
2-4 p.m. on November 5, 2024
7-9 p.m. on November 5, 2024
Carnell’s Funeral Home
329 Freshwater Road
View on Map
funeral
11:00am, Wednesday November 6th
Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
Raylene, your love and deep admiration for your parents says so much about you and so much about them. What a beautiful tribute to your father. My thoughts and love are with you and your family.
Mrs Lang, Raylene ,Claudia and James,
We are so saddened to .hear of Mr Lang’s passing. .My Mom and Dad shared so many good times with you both, whether it was dinner parties, off in the country or all the New Years Eves you rang in together with your group of friends.
Dad and Mr Lang always looked forward to the fishing season. A day off in the woods catching a few trout and having a boil up was the best , they just loved it.
We have lots of fond memories of him and wish you Mrs Lang , Raylene ,Claudia and James our sincere condolences .
Margaret Ann and Jim
Yvonne, Raylene and family
So sorry to hear of Bud’s passing. Our sincerest condolences to all of you at this very sad time..
John and Brenda Chancey
Yvonne, Raylene and family, please accept my sincerest condolences on your loss. Bud was indeed a treasure and a great teller of tales. Hugs to you all.
So very sorry for your loss Yvonne ,deepest condolences to all
Betty Jackman
GF/Windsor
Condolences to family and the multitude of friends on the passing of Judge “BUD” Lang-KC; I First met BUD-while he working-AS CITY LAWYER, at CITY HALL-ST.JOHN’S -early 1960’s; While i as a Recent Real Estate Salesperson, was brought to his office, BY JIM FAGAN,to try to straig.ten out a Real Estate Problem on a sale Downtown;; Within a few days, between “BUD” and JIM Fagan it quickly got the Ok, With a TAX Certificate issued; From then Onward “BUD ” ,Never forgot my name; Always saying when meeting at City hall; “ANOTHER DISPUTE TO FIX JIM”_ the last time we met, He was selling his Home St. Andrews Pl; A GREAT FELLOW;”BUD” WILL CERTASINLY BE MISSED For his friendship, Great knowledge ET ALL; OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GOD BLESS–JIM(EX- RCAF. Ret ‘D)-wife Nelia Campbell ST. John’s.
Mrs Lang , Raylene, Claudia and James. It’s taken a while to process “Judge Bud’s” passing .
What an integral part of our childhood he was . We, the children of his rowing pal and childhood brother in delinquency , David Fox, aka Foxy, were literally weaned on “Judge Bud” stories . Foxy was the first author of such tales that began on Queen’s Rd. At Mount Pleasant, wrote another chapter at St F. X., , Linden Court apartments and onto perpetuity. The stories brightened when Judge Bud took over, added his flare and confirmed the recitations personally but with much more detail ! Bud gave us insights into our family and our Newfoundland heritage that Foxy often refrained from revealing: probably as some such as breaking out the windows at Mercy Convent and drag racing then hiding during police chases were quasi-legal (to be kind..) The rowing stories were always a highlight for Bud to relay to us and later to our children whether at our house in Grand Falls, Sourh River or later in town where he bravely and joyfully faced the onslaught of 9 Fox grandchildren and the requisite chaos that they created. All ages were charmed at his minstrel recitations of a naked Reardigan racing Quidi Vidi pond and the all time favourite of the circling of heads in pictures as one by one their rowing crew succumbed to the great Regatta in the sky. Bud delighted in informing Foxy that Foxy need not fear dying before himself as indeed their crew passed one by one ; in order of their oars. Bud declared emphatically that he would be next and then finally Foxy as Foxy was the last oar in the boat. So it was written and so it happened. The infamous picture of the crew with the heads of the dead circled one by one in order of seat on the pond and in Heaven .gives Judgement to Bud’s final prediction.
Mrs Lang it was an honour and a privilege to count Bud as a special friend , brother, uncle , grand uncle and historian to us, our children and now our grandchildren who will soon enough hear the stories of beloved Judge Bud, Foxy’s lifelong. Friend who gleefully acknowledged resembling a Hitman circling heads of the dead and the soon to be dead !
Thank you for sharing Bud with us. God Bless you all. How he adored you !!!!
Yvonne, Raylene and family,
Sorry to hear of Bud’s passing.
Please accept our deepest sympathy and prayers.
Now he is at peace.
God bless you and strengthen you all in the days to come.
Yvonne, Raylene and family,
All I can say is thank you Bud Lang, a gentleman with a twinkle in his eye, a man who had time for us all. Michele and I offer our sincere condolences on the passing of Justice Lang. i missed him at the marquee this summer, it was my loss, an enduring one at that.
I have so many happy childhood memories of outings with my dad and uncle Bud.
Heartfelt condolences to all.
Mrs. Lang and Raylene,
I am so sorry to hear of Judge Lang’s passing. Dad was “over the moon” when he heard of Judge Lang’s appointment to the bench. Raylene, your Dad was so proud of you and all of your academic and career achievements. I remember his gentle, kind manner whenever we spoke. Most notably, he had a genuine and infectious laugh. Hopefully with the passage of time you will be able to take comfort in all the great times you shared together.
John & Leslie Ann Mahoney
Mrs. Lang, Raylene, Claudia and James,
I am sending my deepest condolences.
The love you shared with your husband, dad and grandfather was such an extraordinary gift. He loved you all so very much. He was so proud of you. I am so grateful for the many special times we shared especially during our Regatta brunches.
Sending our love,
Debbie, Jenna and Nick
Mrs. Lang, Raylene and family,
On behalf of my Father, Eric Mercer, I would like to pass along our sincere condolences for your loss. I don’t think Dad will be able to make the funeral but he certainly wanted to let you know the wonderful memories he has of ‘Bud’ and the many shared experiences they had together throughout the years. He was a ‘great’ person is what my Dad had to say…… thinking of you all.
The Mercer (Eric) Family
Mrs. Lang, Raylene and family,
Sending my sincere condolence. Mr. Justice Lang always had a smile on his face and was a pleasure to work with. Judge Lang was very supportive of the staff at Supreme Court and he was well respected and admired by all. God speed.
Dear Yvonne, Raylene and family,
Sending you my sincere condolences on the loss of Bud. We always enjoyed being in his company over the years. He had a wonderful sense of humour so needless to say there was always a laugh. Wishing you all happy memories as you go through this difficult time.. God Bless.
Carol
Yvonne, Raylene and family.
Dianne and I extend our condolences to you all. We both warmly recall our 20 years as neighbours on St. Andrews Place. I knew him as Mr. Justice Lang when appearing before him in Supreme Court and as Bud when chatting as neighbours over 20 years.
He was an honest, forthright and tolerant person as a judge and as a friend. Our daughter Allison (who we are visiting in Calgary) recalls baby sitting Raylene’s children and fondly remembers Yvonne and Bud as well.
I hope these next few days bring back memories that bring you comfort and peace.
Geoff and Dianne Brown
Yvonne, Raylene &family,
We were so sorry to learn of Justice Lang (Bud’s) passing. We first met as neighbours on St. Andrew’s Place. We were all new neighbours, since we were the first to live in those houses. Your family was very welcoming in those early days. My first job after graduating from MUN was at Confederation Building. Bud was also working there at Justice. and he would always stop and chat when we would meet. We would also meet at legal functions, since my husband, Jim, is also a member of the bar. We both enjoyed our conversations with him. He always had such a pleasant and friendly manner. . Please accept our condolences on his passing.
Dearest Mrs. Lang, Raylene, Claudia and James, I am so sad to learn that your most precious love has passed and my heart is broken for you all. I have so many fond memories of Mr. Lang.. Always humble – despite his many achievements in life. A true gentleman who was loved by all. As a child growing up on a neighboring street – I will always remember how kind he was to the neighborhood children and how much he loved being a father and later in life a grandfather. He will always live in my heart.
God Bless, Melissa
Yvonne and family
Bud Lang was a kind hearted person in his daily life.
He never took himself seriously nor allowed his position to overshadow his genuine good nature .
I often appeared before him and had some interesting matters all of which were happily resolved ..
Justice Lang was respected by those attorneys who came before him.
He was fair – friendly and approachable.
He had a fine career – he did well and will be missed
Sincere condolences to all who mourn his passing
Up the Pond !
Godspeed Bud
To Yvonne, Raylene and family, our sincere condolences on hearing of Bud’s passing. He was a great family friend and a stalwart of the legal profession in the province. He will be greatly missed. God Bless, Peter Williams and Jane Leibel
My sincere condolences to your Mom, Yvonne, Claudia and James and you, Raylene. I had had the pleasure to have met your Dad and Mom in Florida when we happened to be there at the same time with you and the kids as well. They were lots of fun and you are all very lucky to have had such a wonderful Husband, Father and Grandfather. Big Hugs to you all, Constance
Mrs. Lang & family.
On behalf of myself and all of us at Curtis Dawe, I extend our condolences on the passing of Judge Lang. I had the great pleasure of working with him when he was the City Solicitor…then “Bud” to all who knew him. He and the late Donald Dawe had a wonderful relationship. I learned so much from working with the two of them together.
Later, I had the pleasure of appearing before him in the Supreme Court in his role as Justice Lang. One long trial lasted over three weeks in a very hot courtroom in the month of June. He was always welcoming and would take the time to stop and chat.
He will be missed.
Ian Kelly
Dear Mrs Lang and Family. My very heartfelt condolences on the passing of Bud. When I was invited to join The St John’s Regatta Committee, as it was known as then, in 1981, Bud was one of the first Committee members to Welcome me on board. His knowledge of anything associated with The Regatta, its Characters and Characteristics was unmatched. Over the years I especially enjoyed meeting him at The Marquee Regatta Day, where he would glowingly talk about not only The Regatta, but his Family.. A remarkable Gentleman, he will be fondly remembered and missed by many, for the contribution he made, to make life better, in the City and Province that he Loved. God Bless.
Oh Raylene. ❤️ I’m so sorry to hear of your Dad’s passing. ❤️
I witnessed from a very young age the love affair that your Dad had for you and your Mom. The last few years I witnessed you give back more than any Mom or Dad could hope to have from their daughter. You were such a blessing to him. ❤️
I always felt like I had a special “uncle” in him as Mom and him blazed trails together.
I’m so sorry but Tony and I will be out of the country and I will miss your beautiful celebration of his life.
When you’re here and I’m here, I’d love to go out together and hear all about it!
I hope you can feel the hug that I’m sending to you. Please give Mom a hug from me too. Much love for such a special soul. He did good. ❤️🙏💐
Mrs. Lang, Raylene and family, I was so saddened to hear of Mr. Lang’s recent passing. His obituary certainly depicted him as he was. Our Dad, Jim Fagan, loved his City Hall association with Bud and regarded him so highly. He had tremendous respect for him and considered him a good friend. My Mom considered Yvonne and Bud as wonderful friends, as well. And to Raylene, I’ll always remember that little visit together we had in Europe a few decades ago and I’m sure both of our Dads were happy that we got together. My sympathy to you all on the loss of a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. Our community has suffered a tremendous loss.
Mrs. Lang and Raylene,
So sorry for your loss. Hope you find some peace in tour memories. .
Siobhan
So very sorry for your loss, Yvonne. Deepest sympathies to you and your family. God bless
Yvonne and family:
Please accept my condolence on the death of Bud –
May he Rest in Peace.
Sincerely,
Joan (Wadden) Hann
So sorry to see this obituary. As a lawyer having occasion to attend his office, Justice Lang always took the time to tell me stories of my dad who had served with him on the Regatta Committee. He was just lovely. It was his election to take supernumerary status (with four others) that enabled my own appointment to the bench but sadly we never occupied the same courthouse. My condolences.
Mrs Laing, and Family we are so sad to hear of Judge Laing’s passing.. our prayers and thoughts are with you and your Family at this very sad and difficult time.
Yvonne, Raylene and family,
My heartfelt condolences to you all at this very sad time. What an incredible legacy the Honourable Gerald Lang left behind. I was fortunate to have a few touchstones with him over the past few decades, and it was my honour to come celebrate his birthday with family and close friends very recently.
I would also like to acknowledge his service to the city of St. John’s as city solicitor under the mayorship of Dorothy Wyatt. I am grateful for his service to community, and for fostering such a beautiful family.
May he rest peacefully.
Sheilagh O’Leary
Yvonne and family
So sorry to hear of Bud’s passing. He was a great man and I’m sure you have many happy memories that will help you and your family at this sad time.
Heartfelt sympathies to your family for Justice Lang’s passing.
A wonderful and special man has moved on after having a spectacular and colourful legal practice as lawyer and Supreme Court judge. He was one of the best. He knew his way around jury trials like no one else.
My memories of his sitting on the bench and helping both lawyer and witness alike to come to a solid judgement was inspiring. He had a large impact on my career as a mentor and teacher. Farewell Judge Lang..
It was such a pleasure to meet Mr Lang at TVRR. He was a kind and knowledgeable man through and through. One day we were talking about a recent (and large) lottery win in the province. I had asked him what he’d buy if he won, to which he said, “all the happiness in the world for my wife and daughter.” – I think that statement alone truly encompasses the kind of person he was. My deepest condolences to the family.
Dear Auntie Yvonne, Raylene and family:
I’m so sorry for you loss. Uncle Bud was special man. Always kind and welcoming. I wish I could be there with you all at this time. My thoughts and love are with you all.
Yvonne & family
My thoughts and prayers are with you and family
At this time of sadness
May he rest in peace
John Neville