(From Meadors Funeral Home)Mr. Tyler W. Laney, age 70, of Billings, Missouri, passed away Thursday, April 2, 2026, at home surrounded by his loving family.
He was born on July 26, 1955, to the late Gerald and Hazel (Wagemann) Laney of Billings. He was united in marriage to Candy Verfurth on February 14, 1975.
Together, they shared 51 years of devoted marriage and were blessed with three daughters: Nichole, Nina, and Naomi.
Tyler lived in southwest Missouri all of his life. Upon graduation from Billings High School in 1973, he completed an associate’s degree at Crowder College where he received the Rough Rider Leadership award and was a competitive guard on the basketball team. Then he earned his Bachelor's, Master's, and Specialist degrees in Education at Missouri State University. During his thirty-six-year educational career, Tyler worked as a teacher and coach for three years in Humansville and Billings School Districts. In 1981, he transitioned into administration and served for the next nine years as an elementary principal in Billings, Clever and Crane Schools. In 1991, Tyler became the Superintendent of Crane R-III Schools where he served for 18 years.
After retirement in 2009, Tyler served as the Monett R-I Southwest Area Career Center Director. He was also a strong advocate for equitable school funding for kids across the state of Missouri. In 2019, he found great joy returning to Billings Schools as an assistant boys' basketball coach, coaching teams that included all of his grandsons—a role he deeply cherished for three years.
Tyler found his greatest happiness in time spent with family. He loved traveling with Candy, enthusiastically supporting his grandchildren in all of their activities, and working on his beef cattle farm. He especially treasured the many memories and adventures shared with family and friends.
Tyler was preceded in death by his parents; father-in-law Bill Verfurth, uncles Emmett Laney, Cliff Laney and Virgil Wagemann; aunts Marie Laney and Norma Wagemann; sister-in-law Patty (Harter) Laney, and nephew Ross Laney.
After retirement in 2009, Tyler served as the Monett R-I Southwest Area Career Center Director. He was also a strong advocate for equitable school funding for kids across the state of Missouri. In 2019, he found great joy returning to Billings Schools as an assistant boys' basketball coach, coaching teams that included all of his grandsons—a role he deeply cherished for three years.
Tyler found his greatest happiness in time spent with family. He loved traveling with Candy, enthusiastically supporting his grandchildren in all of their activities, and working on his beef cattle farm. He especially treasured the many memories and adventures shared with family and friends.
Tyler was preceded in death by his parents; father-in-law Bill Verfurth, uncles Emmett Laney, Cliff Laney and Virgil Wagemann; aunts Marie Laney and Norma Wagemann; sister-in-law Patty (Harter) Laney, and nephew Ross Laney.
He is survived by his daughters: Nichole Plowman and husband Lyndell; Nina Tinsley and husband Benji; Naomi Harter and husband Bradley; eight grandchildren: Colton, Cale, and Carter Plowman; Grace, Luke, and Georgia Vesci; Bella and Brock Harter; close brother Stan Laney; mother-in-law Joanne Verfurth; sisters-in-law Kim (Verfurth) Graham and Patti (Verfurth) Corbet; cousins Cindy Wagemann, Jim Laney, and Diane Cupp; and several nieces and nephews Todd Laney, Amy (Laney) Mooneyham, Phil Laney, Sean Laney, Christy (Kucera) McCue, Pat Jacobs, Kelly Jacobs, Alli (Jacobs) Bernskoetter, and Bre (Corbett) Van Someren.
A visitation will be held 5-8 P.M., Monday, April 6, 2026, in Meadors Funeral Home, Republic. The funeral service will be at 11:00 A.M., Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in the funeral home. Burial will follow in the Laney Family Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, family requests donations to the Billings R-IV Scholarship Fund, 118 W. Mt. Vernon, Billings, MO 65610 or the Crane Educator of the Year Scholarship, Crane R-III Schools Attn: Shannon Cox, P.O. Box 405, Crane, MO 65633
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