Patricia Lanahan

Patricia (she preferred Pat) was born on a record hot day in August and in her childhood home. She grew up the 3rd child of 5 to Clarence and Elizabeth Greising. (pronounced Grizing). She was very proud of her father, who was the founder of "Pee Wee" baseball and managed the St. Paul parks system on the east side, and she was equally proud of her Dutch heritage. Over the years anyone who has ever been to her homes knows this because of the endless blue and white throughout the house. She collected Delft and if it wasn't purchased she used her talents to create her own; painting every little fine detail. She graduated in 1954 from Harding High School, married Tom in 1956 and started a family in '57. The "Lanahans" rented their first home in St. Paul and proudly built their first home soon after in 1961 in North St Paul. 4 children later and they moved to Forest Lake where they built their dream home. She remained in Forest Lake ever since. She was artistically talented in so many ways. She loved fashion and always had to have matching shoes and bags. She loved to sew clothes for the kids and herself, could refinish furniture and was equally as talented at home décor. She would have craft days with her children and would invite the children in the neighborhood to participate. She loved music, musicals and loved to dance, and her gardens and flower pots could rival a Bachman's garden year after year! But her biggest obsession by far was her 4 children. Enough so that she became very involved with the school board in Forest Lake and with her church in efforts to look out for the wellbeing of her children as best she could. She was loyal to her family and friends to a fault and always about doing what was right even if it might be tough on her or her children…that toughness had to surface more often than not…I think her children would all agree they kept her on her toes. She was conservative in her lifestyle, her values and yes…in her politics. She should have owned stock in the Fox News network but she always knew how to do a lot with sometimes very little. Her attention to detail was unbelievable. Can we lovingly say OCD? She was strong in mind and body. A fighter in so many ways. She was an advocate for her own care, researching every aspect of her illness, sometimes even challenging her doctors when necessary. She battled 3 forms of cancer since 1989 and fought hard to the very end. Just a few short days before she died she bantered with her brother about giving him a knuckle sandwich with her fist clenched. She was a peanut but I think we would all agree she was arguably one of the feistiest, toughest of ladies you will ever know. Funeral Services 7:00 p.m., Thursday, January 26, 2017 at Mattson Funeral Home, 343 North Shore Drive, Forest Lake. Visitation 4 p.m. until the time of service. Interment at Oak Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family.

Funeral Home: Mattson Funeral Home 343 North Shore Drive Forest Lake, MN US 55025

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Previous Events

cemetery
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Visitation
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Service
Thursday, January 26, 2017

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