Ralph Steven Lanning

Ralph Steven Lanning, 82, of Alston Brook, formerly of Westwood Drive, died Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2007, at the nursing home. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Trinity United Methodist Church, where he was a member, by the Rev. Myra Ward. Interment will be in Forest Hill Memorial Park with military graveside rites by VFW Post 3074. Mr. Lanning was born Jan. 8, 1925, in Davidson County to Joe Grady and Julie Cross Lanning. He was a retired painter and a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during World War II. He was a member of VFW Post 3074 and American Legion Post 8, the Lexington Racing Pigeon Club and the Tarheel Racing Pigeon Club in Salisbury. He was preceded in death by his parents. Surviving are his wife, Loraine Everhart Lanning of Alston Brook; one daughter, Dana Blanton and her husband, Curtis, of Lexington; two sisters, Loretta Rainey of Lexington and Doris Morgan of Montebello, Calif.; two brothers, Calvin Lanning and his wife, Betty, of McLeansville and Buck Lanning and his wife, Mary, of Lexington; and two grandchildren, Lauren and Steven Holdaway. The family will receive friends from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday in the library of Alston Brook. Memorials may be made to the Bus Fund of Alston Brook, 4748 Old Salisbury Road, Lexington, NC