Lanell Holder Schilling

Lanell went peacefully home to be with the Lord from her bed in the memory care unit of MapleSprings of Anchorage on Friday morning, February 21, 2025. A celebration of life has not yet been planned. 

Lanell was born in Cleburne, Texas on September 22, 1943 to Lowell and Ruth (Haney) Holder. Accepting Christ at age 8, she became an active member of Field Street Baptist Church in Cleburne. She graduated from Cleburne High School in the class of 1962. Lanell went to summer school at North Texas State University, and then transferred to Baylor University in Waco, Texas. 

She graduated with honors from Baylor in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. She got her Master of Science in Counseling from the University of Laverne in 1986. Lanell then received her Doctor of Philosophy Degree from The Union Institute in 1995. In 1997 she was licensed asa psychologist by the Colorado Board of Psychologists Examiners and practiced for 17 years atSouthwest Counseling Associates in Littleton, Colorado.

In her personal life, Lanell was intentional about sharing the gospel. She always carried several gospel tracts in her purse and frequently would engage random members of the community in order to share her faith. While her husband was reassigned every few years, the many towns inwhich she lived were blessed by her leading Bible studies and by baking countless loaves ofbanana bread, which she generously gave to friends and strangers. She believed that a Christian should not only nurture their own faith, but pour that faith into the lives of others.

On the professional level, the influence she had is best described by Dr. Gary Oliver, who wasthe Clinical Director of Southwest Counseling Associates: “She allowed God to use her toimpact thousands of individuals and couples and her faithfulness is continuing to have a ripple effect on new generations...really.” Through her work with the Missionary Care ServicesMinistry, she blessed the lives of countless missionaries and their families around the world.

Lanell suffered a period of mental distress which required shock therapy treatments. After being healed, she promised the Lord in 1975 that she would read the Old Testament through at leastonce a year and the New Testament through at least twice a year. She was faithful in thatpromise to the very end. The last photograph of her from the WebCam was of her sitting in achair in her room, in the sunlight with the Bible on her lap the afternoon before she went to bewith the Lord.

Lanell is survived by her husband, Colonel Edwin C Schilling, USAF(Ret), her son Joel (LeahSchilling), granddaughter Adelaide Schilling, and her daughter-in-law, Gyongyver (Pearl)Schilling; and was predeceased by her son Dan in 2020.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make a donation to the Missions Ministry of Rabbit Creek Church, 3401 Rabbit Creek Road, Anchorage AK 99516.By making such gifts, more people around the world can be led to the saving knowledge of Christ even while she is in glory.