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YOUNGSTOWN -- Carol M. Lanza, 69, entered into eternal rest Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, at Windsor House at Omni Manor in Youngstown.
She was born April 28, 1956, in Washington, Pa., the daughter of Albert E. and Thelma Horner Taylor.
Carol's early years were spent on a farm in Washington. Later, the family moved to Claysville, Pa., where she graduated from McGuffey High School.
Carol joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 1976. She had her basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and also served at Camp A.P. Hill, Virginia, and Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa. Her MOS was personnel records specialist, and during her time serving, she assisted with several serious operations with the Guard, including the Three Mile Island radiation leak, the winter blizzard of 1978 and the second great flood of Johnstown, Pa. Later, she served as a recruiter after receiving training. She was discharged in 1979 after serving three years, reaching the rank of specialist fourth class / corporal.
On Jan. 8, 1980, she married David G. Lanza at Jefferson Avenue Methodist Church in Washington, where her parents, in 1939, and maternal grandparents, in 1914, were married.
Carol worked for many years in a sewing factory in Washington, where she honed the skills that she used most of her life. After moving to Warren in 1981, she worked for 26 years with Society Dry Cleaners downtown, where she pressed clothes, waited on customers and did a lot of sewing. Later, she started her own daycare in her home, which she continued to operate for six years.
Carol loved her hobbies -- sewing, crochet, cross-stitch, cooking, baking and many others used in making her home better. Her passion was family and genealogy. She started with 150 people listed in her family tree, and she continued until it was well over 10,000 members listed.
Carol and David had two sons, David G. Lanza, Jr. of Boardman and Joseph E. Lanza (Melissa) of Warren. They also have another son, Torono E. Lowery (Katie), who walked into their family when he was 8 years old; they wrapped their arms around him and made him a huge part of their family.
Carol is survived by her husband, David; three sons, David Jr., Joseph and Torono "T.J."; two daughters-in-law, Melissa Lanza and Katie Lowery; two stepdaughters, Brenda Eicher (Nate) of Pennsylvania and Roxanne Mayfield (Kevin) of West Virginia; two grandchildren, Wesley Edward Alan Lanza and Cameron Paul Lowery; three step-grandsons, Jonathan Warren, John Mayfield and Dustin Mayfield; her step-granddaughter, Carlee Warren Coen; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her parents and five siblings, Thelma J. Taylor-Fonte, Elizabeth "Betty" Taylor-Grant, Gladys "Marie" Taylor-McTheny, William Taylor and Norma Taylor-Tarajkowski.
Calling hours will be 10 a.m. to noon Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, at Staton-Borowski Funeral Home, with services beginning at noon, with Pastor Rodd Meyer officiating. All who knew and loved Carol are welcome to attend and celebrate her remarkable life.
Interment will follow in Howland Township Cemetery. Full military honors will be conferred.
Arrangements are entrusted to Staton-Borowski Funeral Home, 962 North Road NE, Warren, OH 44483, 330-394-6200. Dedicated to serving your loved ones. This obituary may be viewed and condolences sent to www.statonborowskifuneralhome.com.
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