Megan Ann Lanoie - Online Memorial Website

Hey mom its been a minute. It's been over 8 years since I last saw you, man has time flew! I am in 6th grade know (2021) and I've grown so much since you last saw me. I hope your doing good in heaven, hey say hi to Charlie for me since he just got there to. I miss you SOOOOO much. I hope you spreading your wings and having fun. Anyway I play volleyball know, just like you did! I want to be a great Outside hitter someday. TT has shown me A LOT of stuff. I have A+'s in all my classes besides Laungage Arts.. I have never been good at that Lol. (I have a A-) Alright well everyonr misses you sooooo much, hope your doing well! LOVEEE Your loving daughter, Joanna
 

     It has taken so long for me to write this. I haven't wanted to face the reality of the fact that I regret not being a close part of your life. My first memory of you is when we were in fourth grade, Mr. Henshkey's class at catherine gates. we were put in a group assignment together to preform a christmas play. You were a baker and I was St Nicholous disguised as an old woman. We were both shy and not sure how to manage memorizing a script. But we worked together and manged to preform the play and I think we did a great job. Then through out middle school we had classes together. You were always so kind and friendly towards me. Then I didnt see you for a while. And then we met again our freshman year in the locker rooms at Roseville High. And it was like long lost friends meeting again. We instantly connected and did so much together. You taught me how to live life the fullest I can possibly manage and then some. You brought me out of my shy quiet shell and I actually became outgoing. And I forever thank you for that. We went to Revolve tour in 2006 and saw Natalie Grant, KJ52 and other christian bands. You felt that you related to KJ52 and his music the most. And now everytime I hear one of his or a Natalie Grant song I am istantly taken back to that concert and our time spent together.You were my best friend Megan. We did so much together, and shared so many secrets. And I will froever treasure the short amount of time we got to spend together and all the memories we spent togther. I am sorry that we grew our separate ways after sophmore year. But you were my best friend and I will forever miss you. You will always be in my heart and my upmost prayers are with your family and littel daughter. But I know you are watching over them always and forever.
Until we meet again
With all my love
~April 
 Natalie grant's song "in better hands": http://youtu.be/_yKlQ6zoqDE 

Hi Megs. Ive been thinking about you so much lately. Its been 3 months today and I havent wanted to face reality but I think its time. I miss you so much. I wish all of our plans to hangout over the few months before you passed didnt get broken. I would give anything to have seen you again just one more time. All these memories have been filling my heart and head lately. When we were younger our late night walks to the park to look up at the stars, just talking about what we wanted to be and more important who we wanted to be. I miss your beautiful smile so much megs but im so happy I can look at Jojos and see the same exact one. I remember the first time we had talked after 2 years and realized we were both preggers only a week apart. And then meeting Jo and seeing you again when our babys were only 2 weeks old. Time flew didnt it. Remember that time at the fountains when they were about 2 and a half months old and Jo was up just hanging out wanting jax to just wake up and play looking at him all crazy because he was sleeping? lol shes always bossing him around. Or those many times at the mall we would just take the kids to play in the little play area they have. He would just follow her around every where and she would always make sure he was right behind her. All those park adventures we would take them on. Ruunning and jumping and being kids right along with them. Zoo trips and summertime swimming. I cant believe your gone. I cant believe all thats over so soon after it started. Our years of friendship will live on in my heart forever. Your light will forever shine down on me and i feel a little more at peace knowing you are watching over me. Heaven gained another angel and a beautiful one at that. Inside just as much as outside. I love you Megs forever and I will miss you like crazy. <3

I met Megan Lanoie when she was just a little past a sparkle, in her Mom and Dad's eye. 

When Megan entered the world everyone was waiting for her arrival, and her beautiful eyes and gorgeous baby curls were beguiling to everyone who saw her.  Especially to her Mom and Dad, she was the apple of their eyes.

As a toddler, Megan began to show early signs of developing her own thoughts, and didn't yield easily unless she was interested. Even when others, including me tried to manipulate her into making a decision, she saw right through it.  She kept us all on our toes, and was one step ahead of everyone.

Megan's strong personality, and desire to learn through personal experience instead of shared parental knowledge, combined with the surge of impulsivity, fueled by teen hormones kept her parent's world very exciting and unpredictable. Over time, in a quest that was solely hers, Megan uncovered the butterfly within her. 

I didn't really get to know the person Megan would become until she conceived Joanna. During what could be a very emotional and uncertain period of a young woman's life, she kept her head and wits about her and embraced becoming a mother even with physical challenges.

Joanna's birth really changed Megan's focus and goals. Her daughter came first and her love for her was evident from the beginning.  Seizure medicine isn't good for babies, so she went off of medication to breast feed, and fought through debilitating, paralyzing attacks that kept her confined to bed and caused her personal injury.

If a picture is worth 1000 words, the library of images she captured of Joanna in just a few years speak volumes of her love, joy and pride.

I met Megan at a step-study a few years ago....she was always so full of joy, her smile was infectious! She had such a great sense of humor, and was a very loving mother to Joanna...talked about her all the time. I got to hang out with Megan several times a couple of years ago, including karaoke on New Year's Eve and a pool party at her house in the summer. Even though I hadn't seen her in person in a year or two, we occasionally messaged on Facebook, as recently as a few months ago. I will miss the light of your smile and the warmth of your laugh, always. <3

Megan, we've had many ups and downs. I will always be grateful for the kind of frieere you were to me. We barely knew each other and you were at the hospital visiting me during the 5 weeks I was there waiting to have Bentley. You were the shoulder I cried on over Ed. You were always there to make me laugh at whatever. Putting Bentley Ian Joanna's princess swing and laughing, even tho Ed didn't find it funny. I'm so sad our plans to meet up and let the kids play isn't going to happen. My heart breaks for Joanna, your family and Ryan. It's never easy to lose someone, especially suddenly. You have gained your wings, tho too early, you are safe in the arms of your maker. Joanna will see you again and get to hug you again. I will do my part and lift your family up in prayers every day. We will be releasing balloons later with messages to you. 

Megs, I have many great memories of you but I mostly will remember you always believing in me even when I doubted or felt down on myself.  I will tell you that our conversations about boys truly reminded me how much I was worth and what I deserved.  You have the biggest, most trusting heart and sometimes it was your vulnerability but it made you the beautiful person you are.  We shared so much together, playing with makeup, hair, clothes...I wore the dress you picked out for me a few years ago last month in Vegas and the whole time I was thinking of you and wanted to tell you how right you were about it, I never had the confidence to wear it before then but you insisted on how beautiful it was on me.  Going shopping for your prom dress and being jealous of how gorgeous you looked in every one we tried on, but feeling proud to have such a beautiful person who chose to consider me a friend.  The fact that you were younger than me sometimes showed me how trusting you were but it also allowed me to act like the young girl that will always be part of me on the inside.  I remember when we were hungry one day we made up our imaginary best junk food meal ever that consisted of 3 different fast food restaurants and we laughed so hard at what fat kids we were inside.  I remember everytime I was let down by a guy, you telling me how much he was losing out by not having me in his life and you were the one person who made me truly believe that.  I remember going to Ryan's house when you two first started dating and thinking how happy I was that you were so smitten, and then how proud I was when you guys raised Joanna the best way you knew how even though you two didn't stay together.  I don't know that I would have been that strong but I admired that.  I remember sharing our struggles and triumphs together and feeling like my world opened up a little more just by knowing you.  You know the past couple of years I was growing and going through a lot, but I have so much regret that I didn't make the time to do something with you like we kept talking about.  I guess I never imagined I wouldn't be able to do that again, and I truly didn't embrace how precious life is recently.  Your life taught me so much about life and myself, and your death is teaching me that I never want to feel this regret again and to take advantage of the time I have with those I love.  I love you and miss you, you will truly be unforgettable to me.

Megan,
I remember when your mom and dad came to visit us up in Boulder Creek and your mom was pregnant with you. I can still recall the outfit she was wearing that day because I knew under those clothes there was a baby bump with your name on it. I remember the first time I saw you and held you and I was so excited to be your Aunt. As I'm sitting here thinking about you a particular visit comes to mind. You were little, your mom recently had Molly and you guys came to Boulder Creek to visit and eat Round Table Pizza. At the time you were very much into The Wizard of Oz and you were marching all over the house saying "We're off! We're off! We're off!..."  You were so adorable with those bright eyes and head full of ringletts. Unfortunately for us our families grew apart and as a result we weren't very close. I regret not embracing the moment I had when I saw you a couple years ago. No matter what though as your Aunt I will always love you and keep those memories close to my heart. 

I got woken up this morning by a call from my mother to tell me the news, and honestly, it took me a little while to absorb. I've known your family for what feels like my entire life, and although Molly was my first friend in our neighboorhood, I always felt close to all of you.

I looked up to Megan as a child and adult, for she always seemed like such a good big sister. Back in Berkshire she was the oldest girl I knew, and she knew so much. When we grew up and you moved, I missed all of you dearly and was overjoyed whenever we'd make the drive up to visit you.

I remember talking and laughing and playing with Megan, pretend high-speed chases over the water on your boat, board games in the cabin, dressing Matt up in clothes he won't be keen on me to recount. I remember how she let him rest in her room when he was lonely, and I felt like that was such a great thing a big sister could do. I remember having fake wars with Molly at my side to sneak into her room as a kid, which she'd promptly chase us out of.

I'll miss Megan dearly, as will everyone who knew her. I hope that Joanna grows up big and strong, and that everyone can tell her of the great memories they shared with her mother and what a wonderful woman she was.

It's so difficult to think of what to write here. Our families have known eachother since our fathers were in school together, so I knew you before you were even born. You were such a cute baby, and I will always remember how beautiful your eyes were. Joanna looks so much like you at that age.

We had family trips together, and you sang karaoke for us at your house. We didn't see each other much after my family moved to Colorado, so I wasn't sure how well you'd remember me- I am 9 years older, so of course I remembered you- but when I was pregnant with Marcus, you had already had Joanna, and you wrote to me on facebook too commiserate about morning sickness. It meant a lot to me. It was amazing to see how mature you became- going from the girl who tried to convince her mom to let her wear fuzzy slippers out boating to a mother who probably had to argue with her own daughter about sensible shoes.

I loved reading your facebook updates- they were almost always about Joanna, and your love for her. I hope she gets to read what you wrote about her, someday, so she can see how excited you were to have her, and how overjoyed you were to find out you were having a girl. Every little milestone, from taking her to the park the first time, to watching her swim in the pool, were so lovingly documented. It inspired me to look more closely at my own child's little moments. Thank you for sharing your life with us- seeing the pictures you posted and the things you said, it was so much better than just a card at Christmas or a short visit once every couple of years. I am praying for all who knew you, because your absence leaves a hole in all our lives.