Lanie Bradley Morgan, of South Woodstock, VT, passed away peacefully at her home, July 11 with her loving husband Jamie Morgan by her side after a courageous and hard fought battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 79 years old.

Born August 11, 1946, in Hanover, NH, to Louine “Tootie” Benedict and Robert Bradley, Lanie was raised in South Woodstock. Tootie married Eric Walker, whom Lanie fondly referred to as “Dad”, and they had two more children, Lanie’s sister Cynthia and brother Derek. Lanie was very close with her Grandmother, Edith Benedict, of South Woodstock, and referred often to stories of Edith and her farm throughout her life.

Like many children growing up in Vermont, Lanie and her siblings enjoyed carefree days playing outdoors among the brooks, fields and forests of Long Hill Road. Lanie loved all animals but had a special love of horses. Thanks to the generosity of her neighbors, the Haywoods, she always had a horse to ride in her youth, and was a self-taught equestrian.

Lanie attended Woodstock Union High School and was a graduate of the Class of 1964. She was active in the school band, playing the clarinet, and sang in the chorus. She also played guitar and sang in a band called “The Ignitions”. As an adult, she pursued her love of music by joining the Freelance Family Singers and participating in musicals put on through The New Woolhouse Players. Lanie also was fond of karaoke which she participated in at various social gatherings.

In 1972 Lanie enrolled at the University of Vermont, pursuing general laboratory studies, from which she received an Associates in Allied Health. She was employed as a generalist in the Chem Lab at the V.A. Hospital in White River Jct, VT for 14 years. She then took a job at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center as a lab tech in the Blood Bank and worked there for 28 years. Lanie served a total of 42 years in the lab profession and retired from Dartmouth Hitchcock in 2014. Lanie also served as the Woodstock Town Health Officer for 40 years. As part of her duties in this position, she tested water sources, inspected restaurants and responded to various public health-related concerns.

Lanie was married to Peter Edson and the couple had three children; Matthew, Jonathan and Amanda. Their family lived in a home on land inherited from Eric and Tootie. Her children were the center of her world. She loved attending their sporting events, concerts and horse shows, and was a vocal supporter of their efforts. She was very proud of each one of them as they forged paths with their own careers and families. Lanie also loved and supported her nephews, Shaun and Jeremy Kendall, and niece Ashley Walker, who lived a short walk through the woods in either direction.

In 1997 Lanie met Jamie Morgan and together they raised Jamie’s son, James, in South Woodstock. Lanie loved following James’ sports and activities. Lanie was married to Jamie on December 16, 2023, at their home in South Woodstock, with friend and neighbor, Fred Barr, as the officiant.

As an adult, Lanie was very involved in the South Woodstock community. She regularly coordinated the South Woodstock Christmas Pageant and was a member of the South Woodstock Community Club and South Woodstock Snowmobile Club. She never missed a Halloween party or a sledding party on the hill.

A true green thumb, Lanie loved working both vegetable and flower gardens at her home. She equally loved all animals. She was diligent keeping her bird feeders full all winter, and loved to watch the action, with a keen eye on the lookout for Cardinals. Over the years she loved many dogs, cats and even had pet raccoons at one point. Her most cherished animal was her horse, Balarian. She shared a deep bond with Balarian and rode him among the hills of South Woodstock with her sister, Cindy. She also rode him in the annual Woodstock Alumni Day Parade for a number of years.

Lanie also loved to travel, a love that both she and Jamie shared. Each year they planned a trip to a new place to explore. They travelled to visit family at various places in the country and enjoyed many trips to the Caribbean islands.

Most of all Lanie was kind, fun and genuine. In her later years she was proud to welcome seven grandchildren to her life. She was a loving Grandma, from making cookies to bundling up for sledding, she always met her grandchildren where they were and enjoyed her time with them. In her 1964 class yearbook, Lanie chose the quote, “you can give a little love to a child and get a lot back”.

Lanie is survived by her loving husband Jamie Morgan of South Woodstock; son Matthew Edson (Mia) of Jericho, VT; son Jonathan Edson (Mollie Wynia) of Harrison, ME; daughter Amanda Edson (Robert Peel),of Jericho, VT; Step-son James Morgan of Volcano, Hawaii; grandchildren Quincy, Stella, Walker, Griffin, Emerson, William and Ashton; mother Tootie Walker of South Woodstock; sister Cynthia Kendall (Steven) of South Woodstock; brother Derek Walker of South Woodstock; predeceased by “dad” Eric Walker and sister in-law Elizabeth “Betty” Walker. She also is survived by her nieces and nephews and their families, Shaun, Gavin, Jeremy, Abby, Knox, Henley, Maddox, Ashley, Sam, Isaiah and Jude.

A celebration of life will be held at the Thompson Senior Center, August 4, 2026 from 4:30-7:30.