Lani McGrew

Lani was born on November 11, 1950, in Aurora, Missouri, to Marvin Augustus Goldston and Betty Burdette. She spent the last 27½ years of her life in Norman, Oklahoma, where she built a home filled with love, laughter, and unwavering devotion to her family.

On May 2, 1998, Lani married the love of her life, John McGrew. Their marriage was marked by deep devotion, partnership, and plenty of jokes, many of them delightfully inappropriate. Lani taught John how to love again, just as she taught everyone around her how to be independent, fearless, and unapologetically themselves.

One of her greatest accomplishments was raising five boys, her son Philip and his four friends, Jason Westmoreland, Adam Bigknife, Chris Weaver, and Josh Davis, as her own along with two stepchildren, Karen Hart and Tony Catalano. Her home and heart were always open.

Lani was a proud high school graduate and attended some college at Wichita State University. She was a dedicated and hardworking woman, known especially for her exceptional accounting skills during her career at Fleming.

She loved murder mysteries, A&E shows, and music by the Bee Gees, Neil Diamond, and Della Reese. Above all else, she cherished her grandchildren, her husband John, and the joy of a well-timed joke. Lani was stubborn in the best way, strong-willed, caring, unafraid, and deeply loyal to those she loved.

Lani was preceded in death by her parents, Marvin and Betty, and her daughter, Christy Almond.

She is survived by her husband, John McGrew of Norman, OK; her children, Philip Catalano of Yukon, Oklahoma; Miranda Hutchison and her husband Marc of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Shane McGrew of Norman, Oklahoma; and Brian McGrew and his wife Kathy of Springer, Oklahoma; two siblings, Kelly Pulone and Kim Neary ; sister-in-law Mary Kay Hayes; brother-in-law Bobby McGrew; seven grandchildren, Austin, Bethany, Johnathan, Hunter, Kiley, Aubree, and Ayja; seven nieces and seven nephews; and her beloved fur baby, Lizzie Lou.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Donna Bragg and Pam Smyth for the compassionate and loving care they provided for Mrs. McGrew.

Lani will be remembered as a hard worker, a devoted wife and mother, a woman who wasn’t afraid of anything, and someone who never cared what others thought, only that the people she loved felt cared for.

A Celebration of Life will be held at New Life Bible Church, located at 3308 Broce Ct, Norman, OK 73072, on February 6, 2026, starting at 2:00 pm.