If ever there was a man who personified what it meant to be a Sooner, it was my good friend, Lanny.  We lost Lanny to that horrid disease, cancer, Tuesday.
Lanny was also a personal friend of Kenneth's...one of his morning coffee drinking buddies.  In fact, the last time I saw he and Janet was at Kenneth's funeral.  (Yes, his wife Janet is the same one with whom I shared the wild week that summer at Ft Cobb Lake.)
But this is about a great Irishman who was born in Norman, Oklahoma, the home of the Sooners, and whose blood ran red and white for 74 years.   Even his hair was red!!  He loved everything about OU, especially sports, particularly football and wrestling.   He never missed a home football game his entire life that I knew of, even though he and Janet lived in Clinton.  He attended every OU-Texas game and every bowl game.
Lanny's funeral, as a tribute to his beloved hometown, will be Monday in Norman.  It will be preceded by a reception Sunday for his many, many friends.
 Lanny was a close personal friend and business partner of Barry Switzer. He was also friends with President David Boren as well as hundreds of other OU graduates, administrators, coaches, athletes, professors, and politicians.
This will be a service filled with important dignitaries, although Lanny was a person who was also friends with lots of average Joe's as well. He never acted as though he was important in any way, 
There's so much more I could say about him...one person called Lanny "Mr. Clinton." He was certainly that as well. He loved the Clinton Red Tornadoes just slightly less than the Sooners and announced their football and basketball games for ten years He served two terms as mayor, appeared in a number of Little Theatre productions, sang in the church choir,served two terms as president of the OU Alumni Association and was named an outstanding alumni, refereed high school football games in his younger years, hosted a morning radio talk show, and wrote a column for the Clinton Daily News. He also co-wrote and starred in the "Red Clay Review," refereed Pee-Wee wrestling, was instrumental in getting wrestling added to the CHS sports program, served on the Clinton !00th Anniversary Centennial Committee, and the Route 66 Museum Board. He also scouted for the Florida Marlins and the Detroit Tigers.

However, the thing he loved most was his family. He spent endless hours playing board games with his grandchildren and watched more than a few episodes of "Sponge Bob, Square Pants" with them. He always saw the world through rose-colored glasses, believing that laughter was the best medicine. When cancer felled him, he remained optimistic as a man of faith, stating that he had enjoyed a "wonderful life." Truly a good guy.

There will be an empty seat this fall above Owen Field, and we will all remember that the man who sat there for over fifty years every Saturday is now watching from a stadium even bigger and more magnificent than Memorial Stadium.
Lanny is survived by his wife Janet, his two children Karie and Jeff, their spouses, one brother, and four grandchildren. He was a long time faithful member of the First Methodist Church in Clinton and later the First Christian Church. 
You may recall the article I wrote about Karie when she was honored as a dintinguished OU graduate of the E.K. Gaylord School of journalism.  If you would like to re-read it, here is the link.
https://www.mybloggers.com/redimpala/lonely_arebrave6_going_woman.html
Good-bye old friend.  I will miss you.  I remember your telling me at Kenneth's service that you guys had some wild conversations on every possible subject at those morning coffee sessions.  I'm betting Kenneth has a cup of java waiting for you!