Carol M. Lanza

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO – Carol M. Lanza, age 69, entered into eternal rest Sunday, November 2, 2025 at Windsor House – Omni Manor in Youngstown. She was born April 28, 1956 in Washington, Pennsylvania, 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, Pennsylvania, 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, Pennsylvania. 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, Pennsylvania. Later, she served as a recruiter after receiving training. She was discharged in 1979 after serving three years, reaching the rank of Specialist Fouth Class/Corporal.
On January 8, 1980, she married David G. Lanza, at the Jefferson Avenue Methodist Church in Washington, where her parents (1939) and maternal grandparents (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, Ohio in 1981, she worked for twenty-six years with Society Dry Cleaners in Warren where she pressed clothes, waited on customers, and did a lot of sewing. Later, she started her own day care in her home and continued that for six years.
Carol loved her hobbies of sewing, crochet, cross-stitch, cooking, baking, and many others which included working to make her home better. Her passion was family and genealogy. She started with one hundred fifty people to list in her tree, and she continued until it was well over ten thousand listed!
Carol and David have two sons, David G. Lanza, Jr. of Boardman, Ohio and Joseph E. Lanza (Melissa) of Warren. They also have another son, Torono E. Lowery (Katie), who walked into their family when he was eight 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 WarrenCoen; and ten great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death are 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 are 10:00 am to 12:00 noon Friday, November 14, 2025 at Staton-Borowski Funeral Home, with services beginning at 12:00 noon November 14, with Pastor Rodd Meyer officiating. All who knew and loved Carol are welcome to attend and celebrate her remarkable life.
Interment will follow at Howland Township Cemetery. Full military honors will be conferred.
Arrangements are entrusted to Staton-Borowski Funeral Home, 962 North Road NE, Warren, Ohio 44483, 330-394-6200. Dedicated To Serving Your Loved Ones. This obituary may be viewed and condolences sent to www.statonborowskifuneralhome.com.