Patricia Ann Allaman LaVan

February 11, 1943 - December 24, 2008

Patricia Ann Allaman LaVan, 65, of Shippenville, passed from this life to be with her Lord and Savior on Dec. 24, 2008, while surrounded by her family. Born Feb. 11, 1943, in Oil City, she was the daughter of the late Francis and Marian Banner Allaman. She was a lifelong educator. Following graduation from Keystone High School and Clarion State College, she began teaching at Shippenville Elementary. After starting a family, she returned to her professional career with the Intermediate Unit 6 in Shippenville, followed by a job teaching at St. Michael’s School in Fryburg, where she later became principal. Following completion of a reading specialist degree, she spend 17 years teaching reading to seventh graders at Keystone High School. She reluctantly retired in 2005. She was also the longtime Shippenville Borough tax collector. She was a member of the Immaculate Conception Church in Clarion. The most cherished times of her life were spend with her family, especially her grandchildren. She loved attending their sporting events and school activities. She also enjoyed the simple things in life with her grandchildren, like making and decorating sugar cookies, and stuffing the Thanksgiving turkey. She loved to cook for her family, and her family loved her to cook for them. She was passionate about her flowers, especially her pansies and geraniums. She also enjoyed sewing, quilting, canning, writing notes and sending cards to friends, and crossword, jigsaw and Sudoku puzzles. Mrs. LaVan was a member or past member of the Clarion County Tax Collectors Association, Delta Kappa Gamma, the Seneca Reading Council, the International Reading Council, the Shippenville Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary, the Shippenville Civic Club, the Keystone Music Association, and was both a cub scout and brownie leader. Surviving are four children, Tim LaVan and his wife, Linda, of Shippenville, Lisa McQuiston and her husband, Brian, of Kossuth, Marianne Hustead and her husband, Dellas, of Pittsburgh, and Mike LaVan and his wife, Brenda, of Shippenville; a brother, William Allaman and his wife, Mary, of Shippenville; and a sister, Jane Yeany and her husband, Bill, of Mechanicsville. Survivors also include her six cherished grandchildren, Kelly, Kyle and Kari McQuiston, Lakynne and Brooks LaVan, and Jacob Hustead. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by an infant brother, Robert Allaman; a brother, James Allaman; and a sister, Deborah Shaffer. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the Robert V. Burns Funeral Home of Clarion. A Christian wake service will be held at 8:30 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Immaculate Conception Church of Clarion with the Rev. Monty Sayers, pastor, presiding. Interment will be in the St. Michael’s Cemetery in Fryburg. In lieu of flower, the family suggests memorials be made to the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, or to the local public library.