Lillian Lou Shoaf Lanning

Lillian Lou Shoaf Lanning, 94, formerly of Tussey Road, passed away at Alston Brook Nursing Home on Tuesday, June 20, 2017.  The funeral will be 1 p.m. Friday at Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church, where she was a lifelong member, with the Revs. Bruce Morasco and Michael Smith officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at Davidson Funeral Home from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and other times at the home of the daughter.  Mrs. Lanning was born April 11, 1923 to Fred Modlin Shoaf and Mary Etta Fritts Shoaf. She was educated at Linwood School and spent most of her life sewing, first at Manhattan Shirt Company, The Salem Company, Teenie’s Draperies and Jerry’s Draperies. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Lanning who passed away on July 10, 2004; brothers, Arvil and Archie Shoaf; and a sister, Dorothy McDaniel.  She is survived by one son, Kermit Lanning and wife Joyce of Holden Beach; one daughter, Carolyn Smith and husband James of Lexington. She loved her four grandchildren, Perry Lanning of Holden Beach, Rev. Michael Smith (Jennifer) of Cornelius, Angie Smith Ham (Justin) of Namur, Belgium and Kendall Smith (Terri) of Edenton. She was blessed with seven great-grandchildren, Caroline and Andrew Smith of Cornelius, Austin and Cayla Ham of Namur, Belgium, and Cassidy, Camryn and Anderson Smith of Edenton. She is also survived by two sisters, Mamie Lanning and Mary Byerly both of Lexington.  The family would like to say a special thank you to the staff of Alston Brook Nursing Home for their wonderful love and care.