Phyllis Ann Abernathy Lanning, age 96, passed away on Oct. 24, 2026, at the Elternhaus Assisted Living.
Born June 9, 1930, in Takoma Park, Maryland, she was the daughter of Nell and Richard Abernathy. At age twelve, Phyllis attended the Spencerville SDA tent revival meeting on the McNeils’ property (across from the Korean SDA Church). She was baptized and worshiped at the old Tabernacle Seventh-day Adventist Church built of wood, which later burned down.
She attended John Nevins Andrews Seventh-day Adventist School and Shenandoah Valley Academy, where she met her husband, James C. Lanning. Following their marriage, they moved to the Washington area and lived with Frank and Dolly DeHaan so that Jim could manage the DeHaan dairy farm and teach flying.
Phyllis and Jim have four children: Debbie (Bryan), Jim, David, and Neal, 14 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren. When her children were in school, Phyllis started working in Medical Records at Washington Adventist Hospital. In the early 1970’s she accepted a position as the Director of Interior Design for ManorCare Inc. until she retired.
Phyllis loved her church and the involvement with Women’s Ministries. She was actively involved in the Homemakers and Red Hat Societies in her community of Falling Waters, West Virginia, where she and Jim retired. Her greatest joy, however, was to gather her family together for any occasion. She lived to serve her family and friends. Even in her absence, she planned the memorial dinner, not wanting to miss a single party.
The Memorial service for Phyllis will be Sunday, December 6, at 11:00 am followed by a meal provided courtesy of Phyllis. All are invited to attend. The service will be at the Williamsport Seventh-day Adventist Church, 16421 Lappins Road, Williamsport, MD 21795.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Project Propel Inc., 513 Orchard Way, Silver Spring, MD 20904.
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