Obituary

Patricia Leona Zarazinski Lanna, 81, of Elkview, WV, passed away on June 26, 2026, at CAMC Memorial Hospital from lung cancer.

Pat was born January 15, 1945, to Leo and Stella Zarazinski and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, along with her siblings, Leon Zarazinski (deceased) and Marian Zarazinski Koskoden (deceased). Pat was also preceded in death by her son-in-law, Geoffrey Collingwood. She graduated from St. John the Baptist High School and later attended Robert Morris Business College in Pittsburgh. After high school, she worked for Wilson Sporting Goods as a clerk.

As a young lady, Pat loved to dance. She and her friends would go dancing three nights a week at different locations around Pittsburgh. It was at the Grove Dance Hall, that she met Anthony (Tony) Lanna in 1962.

They were married in 1965 and moved to Charleston, WV, to build a life together. They raised three children: Lorie Collingwood, of Elkview, Tracy (David) Staton, of Sissonville, and Christopher (Debra) Lanna, of Beckley. Over their 60 years of marriage, Pat & Tony shared many travel destinations, including Bermuda, Europe, Hawaii, and numerous family beach excursions.

When Pat and Tony moved to Charleston, they participated in the New-Comers Club, and regular bowling leagues, where they met several lifelong friends. Those friends would be present at many holiday parties, birthday celebrations, and game nights. These friendships were a cherished part of Pat’s life and the source of much joy.

As a young mom, Pat was a homemaker, cake decorator, homeroom-mother at Pinch Elementary, and volunteer school secretary. As a self-descried “secretary extraordinaire,” Pat excelled at language, letter writing, and shorthand. Her superior spelling abilities made her an expert at crossword puzzles and most any word game challenge.

Pat was of Polish decent, but after marrying into an Italian family, she became well-versed in Italian cuisine. If you ever enjoyed “a Pat Lanna meatball,” then you know there were none better. She was an accomplished cake decorator for local weddings and birthdays. If you were lucky enough to sit around her kitchen counter on a “cake day,” then you were treated to homemade icing straight from the mixer beaters.

Pat, “the mom,” had a weird sixth sense of knowing the ins and outs of her kids’ lives. She was able to guide, redirect, love and nurture her children into great human beings. Along with Tony, they raised the children in the Catholic faith, where Pat was a CCD teacher and guitar player in the church choir at our Lady of the Hills Catholic Church. As a devoted mom, her focus for many years was caring for family and children. After the kids reached high school, she chose to return to the work force and use her secretarial skills. Pat served as an Administrative Assistant with Dean-Witter-Reynolds Brokerage Firm in Charleston. She retired in 2004.

Retirement brought Pat more time to spend with her grandchildren: Holly Slater, Jessica Staton, Wade Staton, Madalynn Lanna, Devyn Lanna, Preston Lanna and great-grandchild, Clint Slater. Pat never retired from cooking, baking, or parenting skills. She was known to provide specialty birthday cakes, quality life advice, and extraordinary generosity to all her “grands.”

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:30 p.m. on July 25, 2026, at Our Lady of the Hills Catholic Church (100 Jackson Drive) in Elkview, where she was a founding member of the parish in 1977.  Rev. Thomas Dharelli will officiate the funeral mass, assisted by Deacon Alfonso Benet. A reception/dinner will follow in the church hall.

Visitation will begin one hour prior at the church.

Regarding flowers, Pat stated, “They all make me sneeze.” Therefore, in lieu of flowers, and pursuant to her final wishes, please consider making a donation in her honor to: Tunnel to Towers Foundation (dogood.t2t.org/Donate), and/or Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org).

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.barlowbonsall.com.

Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.