John Houston Lanaman

John Houston Lanaman was born on December 28, 1939 in Kansas City, Kansas to parents Eulick and Helen Lanaman. He attended Wyandotte High School and graduated in 1957. After a year of college, he joined the Marine Corps and was stationed in North Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee where he worked in electronics on fighter jets. He served our country for two years and then went back to college. In 1961, he graduated from Finley Engineering College with a degree in electrical engineering. John found his love for electronics while working in his father’s shop, Lanaman Appliance & TV Repair in KCK.

John’s first love was Rosalie Sweeney, whom he knew from high school. They were married and moved to Salt Lake City where one of John’s early jobs was with Hercules Power Company which made rocket fuel. Tragically, Rosalie died in an automobile accident when Daniel and Aaron were very young.

John met Leah through friends on a blind date, and on September 20,1975 they exchanged wedding vows in their home in Laguna Hills, California. After several years, John and Leah moved their family back to Kansas City, Kansas where John built his wife her dream home and started his dream farm. In addition to raising their five children: Daniel, Chrissy, Aaron, David, and Suzzanne, John also raised a sizable garden and orchard.

John had many hobbies. When he was younger, he had his amateur radio license, and worked towards his private pilots license. He loved caring for the family home and growing flowers, numerous vegetables and all those peach trees. Depending on the time of year, weekends were spent planting or pruning or picking or mowing or fertilizing or many other chores. His kids' first driving lessons were in the farm truck, helping to pick up brush or hay for the horses.

John loved sports and passed that love on to his children. He would always have a game playing on the weekends and he encouraged his kids to participate in various sports. He loved coaching baseball and softball and served as president of Liondotte Little League for many years. He also coached Aaron’s baseball team to the state championship tournament in 1984, which they swept. John was an avid golfer later in life where he spent a lot of time in the Arizona sun, chasing that little white ball from side to side.

Although John and Leah had five children, their family was much larger. All friends and teammates of the kids were welcome in the house with open arms and included in family events, like holiday parties, picking peaches and working in the garden.

There was nothing more important to John than his family and his faith. He was a member of St. Patrick's Church for more than 30 years where the family were regulars at 7:30 mass on Sundays.

John was 84 when God called him home. He is preceded by his wife, Leah and is survived by his children Daniel, Chrissy (Ruben), Aaron, David (Leah), Suzzanne, and his grandchildren Ruben, Aaron, Andrea, Kyle, Alex, Zachary, Danielle and Taylor.

John was a wonderful person, an individual who will always be remembered by his family and friends as being a caring and hardworking man, someone who is an irreplaceable part of their lives. He leaves behind a legacy and many cherished memories. Everyone whose life he touched will always remember John.

A visitation for John will be held Saturday, April 6, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 1086 North 94th St, Kansas City, KS 66112. Following the visitation, a mass will be held from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM with the burial to follow at Gates of Heaven. A gathering will be held at St. Patrick's Parish Center starting at 12:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Young Women On The Move or Helpful Hands KC in his honor.

Serving as pallbearers are Daniel Lanaman, Aaron Lanaman, David Lanaman, Ruben Soliz, Kyle Soliz and Alex Soliz.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.chapelhill-butler.com for the Lanaman family.