Lana "Cookie" Ahrens

Lana “Cookie” Coleman Ahrens, age 80, passed away on September 27, 2024. Daughter of the late James Clifton Coleman and Myrtle Lee Kennedy, Lana was born on January 25, 1944 in Lillington, NC.

Being the eldest girl of seven children, Lana had a large family and enjoyed the quality time they shared together. In 1962, Lana graduated from Lillington High School; shortly thereafter she attended N.C. State earning her nursing degree and graduated from National Louis University in 1992. In 1966, Lana married the love of her life Alfred J. Ahrens, who was rising in ranks as an officer in the United States Army. She lived for spending quality time with her daughter and grandchildren, cherishing every moment together. There was nothing more important to Lana than her family.

Lana was always a very caring, loving and giving person. She dedicated her life to her professional career in the healthcare industry. At WellStar Hospital, she dedicated her time to being a preceptor to new nurses entering the field. Guiding them was her passion. After forty-five years of dedicated service, she retired in 2010. This passion crossed over into her love for the Catholic Church as she mentored people transitioning into the faith.

In her spare time, Lana enjoyed volunteering her time with the American Red Cross, spending time maintaining her gardens and sewing blankets for family members. Lana loved to dive into a good book and would don her Redskins jersey as a true fan would, when they played the Dallas Cowboys. She had a love for animals and enjoyed having dogs, specifically her favorite breed, Lhasa Apso.

Along with her parents, Lana is preceded in death by her husband, Alfred J. Ahrens; siblings, Donnie C. Butler, Larry Coleman and Linwood Coleman.

She is survived by her daughter, Stacie Fitzgerald; grandchildren, Skylar (Trinity) Fitzgerald and Kelly Fitzgerald; sisters, Brenda "Barney" Johnson and Delia "Rosie" (Leon) Powell; brother, Jimmy (Cindy) Coleman; and many extended family members and friends.

Friends are cordially invited to a catered Celebration of Life visitation that will be held on Friday, October 18, 2024 at HM Patterson and Son Canton Hill Chapel between the hours of 4:00pm and 7:00pm. A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2024 at 11:00am at HM Patterson and Son Canton Hill Chapel. She will be laid to rest privately at Georgia National Cemetery.

HM Patterson and Son Canton Hill Chapel is honored to serve the Ahrens family during this difficult time.

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