Wanda B. Lanahan

Wanda Barton Lanahan was born on July 18, 1921 at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Springfield, Jacksonville, Florida and died September 5, 2011 at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Jacksonville, Florida. She was the first child of John Robert and Wanda Dunn Barton. Growing up in Avondale, she attended St. Paul’s Catholic School and Church. As a young woman, she was a gifted dancer and traveled to New York City where she danced professionally. Upon her return to Jacksonville, she met and married Dennis Joseph (D.J.) Lanahan, Jr. in 1940. She was active in her church circle at Assumption Catholic Church and served as a volunteer at St. Mary’s Orphanage and St. Catherine Laboure Manor. She became a docent at the Cummer Museum where she was the President of the Docents. Mrs. Lanahan and her husband were active members of the St. Vincent's Foundation, chaired the Red Rose Ball and were awarded the Order of the Cornette by the Daughters of Charity in honor of their dedication to St. Vincent’s.

Later in life Mrs. Lanahan returned to school, graduating from Florida Community College at Jacksonville and Jacksonville University with honors. She genuinely valued higher education and demonstrated her interest and commitment to the education of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren by providing financial assistance for college and graduate school.

As a devoted mother and grandmother, Mrs. Lanahan is predeceased in death by: her parents, her husband, Dennis Joseph Lanahan, Jr.; her grandson, Michael John Lanahan Jr.; her sisters, Laurel Barton and Betty Barton McGill; and her brother, Robert Barton.

Wanda is survived by her children: Dennis Joseph Lanahan of Tryon, North Carolina; Michael John Lanahan Sr. and his wife, Mary Anne; John Barton Lanahan and his wife, Donna; Patricia Lanahan Corrigan and her husband, John; and Teresa Lanahan Dutton and her husband, Charles Thebaut Dutton; all of Jacksonville.

She also leaves behind her grandchildren: Elizabeth Lanahan Iglesias, Charles Thebaut Lanahan, Thomas More Lanahan, Dennis Joseph Lanahan III, Brian Kirby Lanahan, Dennis Joseph Patrick Lanahan, Christopher Vail Lanahan, Mary Anne Frances Lanahan Johnson, Timothy Barton Lanahan, James Andrew Dockery Lanahan, Michelle Vesper Feltel, Kathryn Demeranville Schmidt, Samuel Joseph Demeranville, IV, David Christian Demeranville, and Margaret Elizabeth Dutton.

Mrs. Lanahan had fifteen great-grandchildren including: Maria, Matthew and Robert Iglesias; Elise and Benjamin Lanahan; Eila Grace and Mairin Lanahan; Olivia Lanahan; Michael John and Cornelia Johnson; Sarah Katherine, Rutledge and Whitmore Feltel; and Gabriel and Rosemary Peyton Schmidt.

A visitation with the family will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 7th at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 2609 Park Street, Jacksonville with a Vigil Service at 7:00 p.m. A private burial will precede a Mass celebrating Wanda’s life on Thursday, September 8 at 11:00 a.m. also at St. Paul’s Catholic Church. Arrangements entrusted to: Hardage Giddens Funeral Home, Edgewood Chapel 729 S. Edgewood Ave. Jacksonville, FL. 32205.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to: the St. Vincent’s Foundation, 1 Shircliff Way, P.O. Box 41564, Jacksonville, FL, 32203; the Guardian of Dreams Foundation, 134 E. Church St., Jacksonville, FL, 32202; or the Michael John Lanahan Jr. Scholarship Fund at Bishop Kenny High School, 1055 Kingman Ave., Jacksonville, FL, 32207.