Like a grandfather....

The unexpected and sudden passing of Brother Grady this past week has been a challenge for most members of our church. Grady was the one that everyone always counted on to fix the toilet if it overflowed, replace a lock, or just appear and beg for something to do! He always transported other elderly people around to their doctor's appointments and such....it is a very sad loss for not only his family, but our church and our community. Grady was 81....and was always very complimentary of me about my work with the children's choir and never failed to tell me how much I have turned them around (I always told him the truth though and stated that it was God turning them around through me and he always agreed with a smile). Every Sunday, no matter how awful we thought we sounded, he told each member of our Praise Team how much he enjoyed our music and that we did a good job bringing Glory to Our Lord. He use to always accompany our Praise & Worship Team on the 5th Sunday of each month when we would sing at Staunton Memorial Church as well.

Many aspects of his funeral today brought back memories of my own grandfather and how much I had missed him. The songs that were sung, the military ceremony, etc. There was only one Grady....and we will surely miss him...but we all know that he has received that Crown of Righteousness that he worked so hard to earn. For those of you who didn't know Grady, you can only imagine the type of devoted man he was. I know that I will miss him and that my children will also feel a void in their lives as well.

Grady Lee Lanning, 81 of 259 Hillsboro St. died Thursday, December 27, 2007 in Fayetteville. He was a native of Gaston County and a member of Pittsboro Baptist Church. Grady was a member of Masonic Lodge 202 in Blacksburg, SC, a member of the Eastern Star of Georgia, The American Legion and Fleet Reserve Association. He was retired from the US Navy after 22 years of service. Following retirement, he worked with IBM for 25 years in maintenance and was presently a medical health driver with the Council on Aging in Chatham County.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, December 31, 2007 at Pittsboro Baptist Church and conducted by the Rev. Tripp Harmon and the Rev. John Robinson. Burial will be in the church cemetery with Military and Masonic rites.

Surviving are his wife Betty Jean Boyd Lanning; two daughters Karen Whitman of Green Level and Sonja Holt of Gaffney, SC; one son, Barry Lanning of Holly Springs; three sisters, Berti Dover, Betty Floyd, and Sondra Anderson all of Blacksburg, SC; two brothers Doyle Lanning and Earl Lanning both of Blacksburg, SC and five grandchildren.

Family will receive friends from 6 – 8 p.m. Sunday December 30, 2007 at Griffin Funeral Service and Cremation. Memorials may be made to the Pittsboro Baptist Church Building Fund.