Lanora Rai Gara, 81, of Springfield, passed away peacefully on April 6, at the Rawlins Assisted Memory Care. She was born May 21, 1941, in Burns, to Imogene Kidwell and Floyd Kidwell.

Lanora attended grade school and high school in Burns. In May 1960, she married Dean Gill and three children were born to this union: Michael R. Gill, Deenah R. Carbine, and Chris R. Abbott. The family resided at Creswell, Ore., for 22 years. 

She was a homemaker and participated in local church activities during this time. Lanora remarried Joesph Gara in 1986 and moved to Florence, Ore., with their daughter Lanai F. Gara in 1987. She kept busy as a Sunday school teacher and volunteered at the local pro-life organizations. Lanora divorced Joesph Gara in 1993. She resided in Florence until 2021. Lanora completed her Bachelors degree in Business in 1988 at Eugene, Northwest Christian College. 

Lanora will forever be missed by her family and her memories will be cherished forever. She loved God, family, country, life, helping animals, helping people, and nature. Lanora appreciated Florence, because she would say god took his time there creating the beautiful scenery and nice people.

Lanora is preceded in death by her mother, Imogene Reinkemeyer and father, Floyd Kidwell of Burns.

Lanora is survived by her brother, Richard Kidwell, and wife, Beth Kidwell (Crooked River Ranch, Ore.); son, Michael Gill, and wife, Estela Gill (Everett, Wash.); daughter, Deenah Carbine, and husband, David Carbine (Pollock Pines, Calif.), daughter, Chris Abbott, and husband, Ronald Abbott (Redmond), daughter, Lanai Gara (Vancouver, Wash.); and several grandchildren.

Burns Riverside Chapel of Florence is in charge of arrangements. Lanora will have a Noon graveside service April 14 at the Pacific Sunset Florence cemetery.