Lawanda "June" Anderson O'Hara

Lawanda “June” O'Hara, 88, of Bossier City passed away October 6, 2024, at Colonial Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation center in Bossier City.

June was born June 17, 1936 in Hope, Arkansas, and graduated from Springhill High School right outside of Hope in 1955. She came to Shreveport/Bossier City to live and work for the telephone company and soon became a secretary for the JB Beaird Industries Inc. She soon met the love of her life, a handsome Yankee Barksdale Airman from New York City, John O’Hara. They married on July 4th, 1959 and spent 65 happy, healthy, wonderful years together and provided their 3 children with a loving home they cherish. 

June enjoyed being a stay at home mother and being involved with whatever her children were involved in through the years. She loved watching and playing all sports, loved baking with her daughters for everyone, especially neighbors at Christmas, volunteering at Christ the King Catholic Church, on occasion writing poetry, reading, playing at the casinos when they first arrived, traveling back and forth to the Catskill Mountain in New York every year with her family, spending weekends in Hope rooting for her Arkansas Razorbacks in every sport, and adored spending as much time as she could with her 3 grandkids whom they called Nanee, her most loved name. When her children were teenagers, she started working in the Sun City Elementary Cafeteria where she baked all the bread that was served to the students. She enjoyed working with her friends and making the most delicious rolls, cinnamon rolls, corn bread, amongst other things, daily for over 20 years. 

June is preceded in death by her parents, James and Ola Martin Anderson; her beloved 21 year old son, Patrick A. O’Hara; and 3 sisters Linda Raspberry, Mary De Han, and Daine Brunina. 

June is survived by her husband John A. O’Hara, who took such great care of her for the last 3 years; her daughters Scarlett O’Hara Smith and husband Scott, Jennifer O’Hara Blanton and husband Greg; her three grandchildren Caleb Scott Smith, Darbee Delaney Blanton, and Chazz Gregory Blanton. She is also survived by her brother in-laws Peter I. O’Hara and John Garofalo of Freehold, NY; her sisters Evelyn Skinner of Dallas, TX, Robbie Gibson and husband Tony; her brother Mark Anderson and wife Judy; special nephew raised like her brother Kenneth Alyett and wife Pat; special young lady Alison Kidwell; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins all of Hope, Arkansas. 

The family would like to give a very special thanks for helping care for their sweet wife and mother the last 3 years. Essie Hall and Johnella Gipson for home care; Amber, Kelsey, Victoria, Connie, and Sharon with Gentiva Hospice; and the wonderful staff and sweet residents of Colonial Oaks Nursing Home in Bossier City. 

It was June’s wishes for memorials be made to Holy Angels, where her granddaughter now resides at 10450 Ellerbe Rd., Shreveport, LA, 71106, (318) 797-8500 or to the Autism Society 6110 Executive Blvd., Suite 305, Rockville, MD 20852, 1 (800) 328-8476. 

Proverbs 31:31

“Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”