Lanola Johnson Durrans

Lanola Johnson Durrans 
 December 8, 1936 to March 11, 2024
 
 Our wonderful, loving, and caring mother, wife, sibling, and friend, Lanola Johnson Durrans, left this earth peacefully in the early morning hours of March 11, 2024, transitioning to her eternal life and family who welcomed her home with a joyous reunion, enjoying each other, food, fun, games and laughter.
 
 Lanola was born December 8, 1936, in Moore, Idaho. She arrived with an older brother, Dale, and a sister, Valate. Her sister was ten years older, and her brother was eight years older. She also had five younger siblings: Larry, Peggy, Janice, Norman, and Susan. Lanola is an unusual name, and most are curious about how her name originated. A cousin suggested the name Lanola to her mother after a warplane named "Nola." Her younger brother Norman always called her Nonni, an Indian name she was fond of.
 
 It had snowed all day the day Lanola was born. It was a home birth, and all were worried the doctor wouldn't be able to get there in time, so Lanola's dad picked him up in town, which was several miles away, with a sleigh and horses. The family lived on a 180-acre homestead that her mother and dad ranched and farmed. She grew up with hard-working, creative, strong, talented, resourceful, and independent parents. Her father had a love of music, which his mother and brother Earl also shared. Three of her dad's three brothers also lived nearby on their own farms. Her Johnson grandparents lived in town, and she remembers her grandma always having a song or tune, picking raspberries, or doing chores.
 Her family moved from Moore, Idaho, to Salt Lake City when her father was badly burned in a kitchen stove explosion. Their home in Moore, Idaho, had no indoor plumbing, and the heat was from a wood-burning stove. Her dad spent months at the VA hospital, and after her dad's recovery, they moved into the home of her Maxfield grandparents in rural Salt Lake County down a dirt lane in Cottonwood in a house built by her grandparents. Her grandparents and parents were pretty self-sufficient, growing their own food, making soap clothing, tending to animals, and even making guitars. They also repaired almost anything as well. Everyone was always welcome at the dinner table, and if someone arrived, another leaf would be pulled out to accommodate everyone. The table often stretched the length of the dining room and living room combined.

These traditions were also passed down to Lanola, her siblings, and some in future generations. Lola loved having many people at her table and spending time mixing tasks and chores with fun and games and lots of stories. It was a joyful and fun time in the evenings, and she often met with her dad, Elmer, his brother, Earl, and Earl's wife, Alice, and brother Norman, playing together in the dining room as the rest of the family gathered around. Lanola learned many of the skills from her mother: bottling fruits, vegetables, and meats, cooking, quilting, knitting, sewing, and making clothing. She was an excellent cook, just like her mother. 
 
 Lanola attended Olympus Junior High School and then, as a sophomore, went to Granite High School. She attended the brand-new Olympus High School for her junior and senior years. Lanola was the second class to graduate from the school and got to help pick out the school colors and choose the school song. They also chose the school mascot, the Titans, because of the connection of Greek mythology with Mount Olympus. In high school, Lanola took home economics, art, and many business classes, such as shorthand and bookkeeping.

 Lanola met her future husband, Jerry, on a blind date when they were juniors in high school. Her lifelong girlfriend, Lola, set them up on a blind date as a surprise on her birthday with a bunch of her girlfriends who were supposed to be going to dinner and a show to celebrate by themselves. She enjoyed going to the high school dances, and one year, she went to three different Junior proms where her mother made her formal dresses to wear. Her mother made all of her clothes until she was in high school, when she could help make her own.

 Lanola graduated from Olympus High School, and Jerry graduated from South High School. They'd been dating for three years prior to graduation. When Jerry graduated from high school, he returned east with the National Guard for summer training. When Jerry returned in the fall, they continued their courtship. They talked about getting married off and on, but she was surprised when Jerry proposed With a diamond ring. She immediately accepted his proposal, and they married on January 27, 1956, at her parent's home. It had also snowed all day, and the lane and field had to be cleared for people to park in for the celebration. On October 6, 1958, they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple with their only child at the time, Robert. Kathy was born that same year, followed by Scott two years later and Janine two years after that.
 
 Her young family didn't have a lot of money growing up, but it wasn't needed to have fun and there were plenty of ways to have fun without money with mom. We were kids who grew up playing games outside together with the neighborhood. Kids went hiking, biking, and playing games in the street and lawns, and it never occurred to us that we didn't have everything in the world. 
 
 When all the kids were finally in school, Lanola worked in the school lunch program to match the school schedules when they were young. Later, she worked as a teller at Mountain America Credit Union for several years and enjoyed the banking industry.

 Coming from a large family with a long history in and around Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, Lanola loved large family reunions, especially those that included the kids and games at the Maxfield Johnson home or at the ranch in Lyman, Wyoming. Her joy in life came from her extended family and children. She enjoyed many years in the relief society and leadership of the scouting program, especially her years in the primary, using her craftiness and ingenuity. She loved and honored every major holiday by decorating and making special cookies or desserts. She was known as the pie baker of Rose Park, celebrated in the local newspaper, and a constant bread maker for the neighborhood and friends, especially making Johnny cakes at lunchtime, where we could run home from elementary school. She made most of her kids' clothing and dolls' clothes as well and was the caretaker of the entire household and kids. She loved being a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, spending time with kids, and babies, playing games, singing, and playing music to dance and sing to.

 There are so many things that Lanola loved to do; even when she was watching TV she kept her hands busy knitting or crocheting. There were many quilting circles around the house, where everyone would come in and out and take turns stitching their portion. The girls would join. It was as much social as a quilting circle. She also loved to travel the world with Jerry and the kids. She loved bowling in bowling leagues, boating in the lakes and reservoirs, snow skiing and water skiing, hiking, working in the garden, and golfing just to name some. Her greatest love was her family; even though she had her own kids, she was a mother and great grandmother to many extended families, neighbors, and dear friends as well she loved to serve others and help anyway she could and did everything for her children. She will be dearly missed. 
 
 Lanola leaves behind her sweetheart Jerry and her children Rob (Kristin), Kathy (Amanda), Scott (Tami), and Janine (Garry). She also leaves her grandchildren Austin, Mason, Melissa, and Stephanie. (Kevin), Darci (Bryce), Jessica, Brandon (Ayla), and great-grandchildren Kylee, Connor, Claire, Milo, Oliver, Brooklyn, Marlie, and Bella. Sisters Peggy, Janice, Susan (Steve), and Brothers Larry (JoAnn) and Norman (Kathy). 
   
   
 The funeral service and celebration of her life will be Thursday, March 21, at 11 AM. There will be a viewing Wednesday evening, March 20, from 6 to 8 PM and a viewing prior to the service from 9:30 AM  to 10:45 AM.  
 The viewings and service will be held at: 
 
 The Church of Jesus Christ of  Latter-day Saints 
 Homestead Ward  
 5605 South Vine St. 
 Murray, UT 84107 
 
 Graveside service immediately after the funeral service and interment will be at: 
 
 Memorial Mountain View Cemetery  
 3115 East Bengal Blvd. (7800 S.) 
 Cottonwood Heights, Utah 84121  
 
 A luncheon will be served at the  Church prepared by the Homestead Ward Relief Society Sisters after the graveside services.