Lanna L. Carter

Lanna L. (Taylor) Durham Carter, 69, passed from this life on Sunday, September 30, 2012 at her home in Stillwater, after a battle with cancer. Her services have been entrusted to the care of Palmer Marler Funeral Home and will be held at Palmer Marler Chapel in Stillwater on Wednesday, October 3, 2012 at 10:00 am, with Rodney James of Tulsa, and Bryan James of Stillwater officiating.

Lanna was born on November 27, 1942 in Port Arthur, Texas to W.C. Bill and Bernice Taylor. After living in Texas during her early years, the family moved to Stillwater where she attended school, graduating in 1960 from Stillwater High School. Lanna was then employed by Oklahoma State University, working in several departments there. She married Jack Durham and from this union came two sons, Douglas Scott Durham and Brad Allen Durham.

After Jack received his masters degree, they moved to New Mexico for a few years and then to Anchorage, Alaska. While there, she worked as an administrative assistant at the University of Alaska. Lanna later married the love of her life, Ken Carter in 1979. They lived in California for a few years before returning to Stillwater where she and Ken managed apartments and duplexes until their retirement in 2002. Lanna was a wonderful giving person. She was a volunteer for Stillwater Medical Center with the Hospital Volunteer Auxilary. She served as stage manager for the Stillwater Community Singers, directed by her husband, Ken. She loved meeting once a month with her group of classmates from the class of 1960. She was affiliated with the Baptist church. Her family will miss her dearly. She was the chief cook for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all family birthdays. Her fried chicken and chicken and dumplings were the best. She always cared for family and friends. The one tragedy of her life was losing her son Brad at the age of 22 in a car accident.

Lanna is survived by her husband, Ken Carter, of Stillwater, a son, Scott Durham and his wife, Sonia, of Boise, ID; grandchildren, J. B., Taylor, and Sidney Durham, of Boise, ID; stepsons, Mike, Rick, Sheldon, and David Carter; 20 step grandchildren, 14 step great-grandchildren; a sister, Shirley James, and her husband Jerry of Stillwater, a brother, Jim Taylor, and his wife Connie of Norman; nephews, Rodney C. James, and his wife Dana of Tulsa, Bryan James, and his wife Rachel of Stillwater, Michael Taylor of Norman; nieces, Kristin Baumann, and her husband Tom of Norman, Lindsey Taylor of Norman; brothers in law, Nate Carter and his wife Betty, and Allen Carter of Texas; a sister in law, Vivian Durham and her husband Joe of Georgia, and uncle, Clayton Cheek of South Carolina; an aunt, Norma Cheek of Midwest City; special friends, Hillary and Mary Kate Driggs, and Darlene Pendleton of Stillwater.

She was preceded in death by her son, Brad Allen Durham, and her parents, W.C. Bill and Bernice Taylor.

The family asks in lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Judith Karman Hospice, c/o Palmer Marler Funeral Home, 5106 N. Washington, Stillwater, OK 74075. Friends may leave condolences for the family via an online guestbook at www.pmcfh.com or by posting to our facebook page, www.facebook.com/pmcfh.