Timothy Ralph Lanning

Tim Lanning was a kind, compassionate, caring man who was always willing to sacrifice to help out others. He was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming to Ralph and Rachel Lanning. He had two sisters, Sharon and Susan, and one brother, Steve, who he remained very close to his entire life. He spent the majority of his life in Greeley, Colorado. At 25, Tim married his soulmate, Mary Odstrcil. Three years later, they had their first child, Nathan. Their daughter, Tabitha, followed four and a half years later. From the moment his children were born, Tim loved and cared and sacrificed for them. As a family, they went camping and four-wheel-driving in his Jeep Cherokee every chance they got. Nothing made Tim happier than being outside in nature. Tim was a scout leader for Nathan growing up, and helped him to eventually become an Eagle Scout. From pinewood derbies to camping at the sand dunes, Tim took an active role in Nathan’s boy scouts and loved every minute of it. In 1997, Tim packed up his family and moved to Kansas to start up his own business close to his sister Sharon and her family. Later in life, he referred to this as his ‘mid-life crisis’, but those who knew him knew that the family needed a change, and so he made one. He ran his own business as a handyman with his son, Nathan, and sister, Sharon, for a few years and enjoyed the variety of skills that it required of him. He always enjoyed anything that allowed him to work with his hands. Eventually, he moved back to Greeley and back to Foundation Builders Inc. where he formed and poured flatwork for houses and businesses. He loved his job and the people he worked with, second only to his family. He often told his clients ‘If you can dream it, I can form it’. He took pride in his work and made some of the best friendships of his life there. Tim had a large family and was very devoted to all of them. He had eight nieces and nephews and 16 grand nieces and nephews that he was eternally fond of. Hearing them call him ‘uncle Tim’ never failed to bring a smile to his face. Tim was always kind-hearted and had a soft spot for his dogs. They were always a part of the family and constantly brought him joy. On February 14th, 2014 Tim was diagnosed with lung cancer. He immediately told the doctors he would do whatever it took to fight, and that he would go down kicking and screaming. The doctors were all amazed at how well he did in his fight. He went through more sessions of radiation and chemotherapy than most, with very minimal side effects and related health problems. He kept his good health all of the way up until the end. Having the tremendous support of his sister, Susan and brother, Steve made all the difference in the world to Tim. They physically and emotionally helped him through a time when he needed them the most. All of his doctors and nurses adored Tim because of his positive attitude and politeness. He truly was an inspiration. After two years of fighting, Tim passed away quietly, surrounded by his loved ones. The world will truly be a lesser place without a man like him in it.