University News
Lana Jane Myers Obituary
April 1, 2024
MACOMB, IL - - Western Illinois University retired Admissions and Registrar's Office Secretary Lana Jane Myers, 78, of Macomb, passed away Saturday, March 23 at Grand Prairie Assisted Living.
A Celebration of Lana's life will be announced at a later date.
Starting her journey at WIU in 1964, Myers served as a secretary for more than three decades in the Admissions and Registrar's Office before retiring in 2000. She held a special connection to WIU as the granddaughter of Edwin DeCamp, the individual who famously rang the bell on the inaugural day of classes at Western Illinois State Teachers College in 1902. Continuing her family's legacy, Myers herself rang the same bell, a cherished family heirloom, during the annual Founders' Day Celebration held at WIU every September. This bell, first rung by DeCamp on September 23, 1902, marked the commencement of classes at Western Illinois State Normal School.
Beyond her time at WIU, Myers found joy in music, playing the clarinet in her high school band and maintaining a lifelong passion for artists like Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Tom Jones and Barry Manilow. She cherished moments spent engaging in card games with her close-knit circle of female friends and held a deep affection for her extensive family, including nieces, nephews and cousins, as well as her beloved Maltese dogs, Bliss and Chloe. An enthusiast of the ocean and beach, Meyers embraced her later years with winter retreats to Orange Beach, AL. Among her favorite pastimes was watching "The Sandpiper," a film close to her heart.
She is survived by her twin brother Larry (Sandi) Gamage of Bon Aqua, TN, and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and two sisters, Margaret "Peggy" Van Etten and Mary Luan Clark, both of Macomb, IL.
To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Myers, visit go.wiu.edu/49jk9rq.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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