Karen Lanier League

In Loving Memory

Karen Darby Lanier League

Karen Darby Lanier League was born April 16, 1946, in Waycross, GA, and passed away peacefully on January 23, 2017. She will be remembered by her family and friends for her gracious spirit, her courageous strength, and the beauty she brought to every relationship and space she touched.

The only daughter of the late Sara Darby Lanier and George Kennedy Lanier, Karen enjoyed a happy childhood in Waycross alongside a small group of friends who would be dear, lifelong companions. After graduating from Waycross High School, she earned a BFA in Interior Design from the University of Georgia, graduating cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. Shortly thereafter, she moved to Atlanta, where she began a career in commercial interior design with the architectural firm, Jova/Daniels/Busby JDB.

At JDB, Karen met Joseph Choate League, Jr, a young architect from Macon, GA, who she married on November 27, 1971. Karen led JDB’s interior design practice until 1999, when she left to build and direct an interiors studio for HOK Atlanta. Ten years later, Karen launched her own interiors firm, in League, LLC, and took on commercial interiors projects independently on and off until her retirement in 2016. During the last decade of her career, Karen briefly returned to Jova/Daniels/Busby to lead and rejuvenate their interiors practice, and in 2013 established a strategic alliance with the SLAM Collaborative, developing an interiors practice in their Atlanta office, and again, working alongside Joe.

Always the consummate professional, Karen was greatly admired by her colleagues and clients. She was proud of the projects that she worked on, and particularly of the enduring friendships that were forged in their midst. She faithfully served several organizations in which she believed, including CoreNet, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Midtown Atlanta, Leadership Atlanta, and the Woodruff Arts Center. One of her greatest pleasures was mentoring designers early in their careers, serving on the Interior Design Advisory Boards at SCAD, Brenau University, and University of Florida. Over her career, Karen was responsible for the design and programming of several million square feet of space. Among her many notable projects were the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Carter Center in Atlanta, GA; Southern Progress Headquarters I & II in Birmingham, Alabama; AGL Resources Headquarters in Atlanta, GA; and more recently, Oxford Industries Headquarters and Parker Hudson Ranier and Dobbs legal office in Atlanta, GA. Her portfolio of work earned her the ASID Georgia Design Achievement Award in 2004. In the summer 2016, in recognition of a lifetime of contributions to the profession, she received the ASID National Medalist Award.

Despite her numerous professional accomplishments, Karen’s greatest legacy, and her pride and joy, was her family. Fiercely loyal and devoted to supporting her family in all they did, she made a point to be a part of every game, performance, and special moment. She was a faithful and dear friend to many, lending encouragement, kind words, and her signature gracious spirit to everyone who knew her. As she did in the professional realm, Karen employed her talent for creating beauty to demonstrate her love for family and friends. Her grandchildren will always remember her elegance, kindness, and joy.

Karen is survived by her beloved husband of 45 years, Joe; her daughter, Elisabeth Ellis League Irwin; her son-in-law, James William Irwin; her three grandchildren, James Ellis Irwin, Joseph Andrew Irwin and Sara Darby Irwin; sisters-in-law Cheryl League Dennis Dr. Donald Dennis and Meredith League Pretzie David Mitchusson, and her nieces, nephews, and cousins. A devoted, longtime member of the Cathedral of St. Philip, Karen will be celebrated with a memorial service there on Tuesday, January 31st, at 10 AM. The family will receive friends immediately following the service in Child Hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to The Cathedral of St. Philip.