Lois C. McAninch 1928-2026

Following high school, she graduated from Lankenau Hospital School of Nursing (1951) in Wynnewood, PA, near Philadelphia. She worked as a registered nurse at Polk State Hospital (PA), Grove City Hospital (PA), and briefly at Westfield Memorial Hospital (NY). She was always proud of her patient-centered, “old school” nurses’ training.

It was in Grove City that she met and married (Oct 10, 1953) her husband, Ben Reed McAninch. A job at Welch’s prompted a move to Westfield, NY, where they started their family. They eventually relocated to Mayville, NY.

From that point on, her nursing career shifted its focus to her growing family, although over the years, she used those skills to help others in her community.

Travel, camping, and genealogy were interests that also led to a full life. Her strong Christian faith led both she and Ben to become active members of the Mayville United Methodist Church, including working with church youth. Until very recently, she hosted a weekly prayer circle in her home. Like her love for and devotion to her family, her church family meant the world to her.

Surviving are her four children: Margaret Ann (Mitchell) FitzGibbon of Westfield, NY, Barbara Lee (Martin) Bova of Mayville, NY, William Reed (Kathleen Mickney) McAninch of Hamburg, NY, and Steven Edward McAninch (Shauna Barber and her children Zachary, Mikaela and Ryker Ellis) of Mayville, NY; seven grandchildren: Andrew McKee FitzGibbon of Montrose, WV, Thomas McKee FitzGibbon (Cassidy Jaklitsch and her daughter Frankie) of Westfield, NY, Steven Thomas McAninch of Brooklyn, NY, Jennifer Lee (David) Miller Jr of Westfield, NY, Emma Lee (Matthew) Templeton of Dansville, NY, Kaitlin Mary (Kevin) Denny of Mayville, NY, Carolyn Cox McAninch of Raleigh, NC, and six great-grandchildren: Khloey and David Miller III, Leo Spoon, and Addison, Otto, Wyatt and Warren Templeton.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Ben Reed McAninch on January 17, 2003, an infant son (1957), a granddaughter, Bridget Ann McAninch (1994), a brother, Raymond Orville Cox, a sister, Elizabeth Mercer Cox, and a grandson-in-law, Richard Dale Spoon.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 1 from 4-7 PM at the Freay Funeral Home in Mayville. A memorial service will be held July 2 at the Mayville United Methodist Church at 2 PM on what would have been Lois’s 98th birthday. Burial will be in the Mayville Cemetery.

Memorial donations can be made to the Mayville United Methodist Church (81 S. Erie St, Mayville, NY 14757) or the North Lake Fire Department (PO Box 2, Mayville, NY 14757)

To leave a remembrance or to post condolences to the family, please visit freayfuneralhome.com.