Lanni de Langavant, born Laura Nancy Garner in Westwood, Mass., who spent most of her summers on the Vineyard growing up, died of a heart attack at 86, in Montreal, Quebec. She leaves to mourn her husband Bernard (married for 64 years); her children Laure, Jack (Wendy), Corinne, Eric, and Ghislaine (Robert Salois); her seven grandchildren, (including Islander Spencer de Langavant-Sahr); and her American family, brother Robert V. Garner and Betty Abel; their children: Jimmy (Missy), Anne (and Tom Curry), Peter and David; and their grandchildren: Brewster and Alison Curry and Greta Garner, as well as her extended family in France, and numerous friends.

Lanni, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, spent many summers learning and later teaching swimming and sailing at the Sailing Camp in Vineyard Haven. She graduated with honors from Westwood High School, attended Ward-Belmont Junior College in Nashville, Tenn., where she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa honorary scholastic society; Sweet Briar College in Sweet Briar, Va., and finished her Etudes Politiques at La Sorbonne, Paris, where she was awarded the certificate of the Institute.

She had incredible energy and delved deeply into every activity she undertook. All who knew her were impressed by her charisma, her integrity, her generosity, and her commitment to those in need. During her lifetime, she volunteered for many causes, including, but not limited to, the Red Cross, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, St. Mary’s Hospital, as well as for the causes supported by her beloved Dragon boat team: “The Power of the Dragon” (for survivors of breast cancer). Lanni was also very involved in the real estate business, having been an agent for over 30 years with the Montreal Trust and then a member of the discipline committee for the Quebec Real Estate Board for over a decade.

Finally, Lanni had many friends from all walks of life and was actively involved in several sports and social activities such as line dancing, yoga, aquaform, figure skating, bridge, and the opera and L’Alliance Francaise. She loved music, nature, and travel.

A celebration of Lanni’s life was held on Sept. 5; she was buried on the mountain, near the woods of the Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal.