Tanna Olin tribute and funeral

Tanna Suzanne La Rose (1952-2023) was a remarkable human who quietly touched the lives of many through her acts of kindness. Despite facing numerous traumatic events from a young age until her final days in comfort care, Tanna remained a shining example of selflessness. She gave so much of herself in every aspect of her life, even going as far as giving away her property and assets as she approached the end. Tanna was not just our mother, but a true hero who shielded us from the challenges she faced.

Over the past nine months, we have witnessed Tanna's rapid decline due to dementia, compounded by a devastating diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), a neurodegenerative disorder with no cure. This disease ravages the brain, creating holes like a sponge. Adding to her suffering, a series of heartbreaking events left Tanna, at the age of 70, homeless, malnourished, and abandoned with a traumatic brain injury in Arizona.

Unfortunately, due to ongoing health complications, we were unable to transport our mom home to New York State before she began her end-of-life comfort care. The financial strain of caring for our mother over these nine months from a distance has depleted all our emergency family funds, leaving us unable to provide a proper funeral.

In honor of Tanna's unforgettable qualities, we, her daughter's family and son, seek to create a symbol that will inspire others. We propose the installation of a memorial bench in Linear Park in Oswego, New York, where Tanna often sought solace accompanied by her beloved pets and grandchildren.

This memorial bench, funded by donations from her friends and the community, will bear the inscription: In remembrance of Tanna, a friend to everyone. May this bench serve as a lasting tribute to Tanna's unwavering kindness and inspire others.

Our goals for Tanna La Rose's tribute:

Goal is based on an estimate confirmed by oswegony.org. Excess funding will be donated to the CJD Foundation.

Thank you for your empathy and contribution.

Tanna would often leave personal poems for her children. Here's one for you, Mom:

Tanna Olin, hero serene,

With radiant heart, her acts did glean.

A burden she bore, since youthful day,

Yet shielded kin, kept sorrow at bay.

Her generosity knew no end,

Her property, her assets, she did extend,

To those in need, her gifts did flow,

A beacon of kindness, midst turmoil's blow.

Dementia did strike, fierce and fast,

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, memories surpassed,

Her mind diminished, like a sponge it waned,

Yearning for our mother, never to be regained.

A donated bench, a monumental sign,

In Linear Park it stands, timeless and divine.

Besides pets and grandchildren, her joy so pure,

A sanctuary cherished, amidst nature's allure.