Lana Kay Stahl-McDonough

Lana Kay Stahl–McDonough, 52, of Cambridge, passed away on Saturday, January 25, 2025.  Cremation rites have been accorded, and a Celebration of Life Open House will be held at Cambridge High School Gymnasium, 300 S. West Street, Cambridge, IL, 61238, from 11:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 8, 2025.  Vandemore Funeral Homes & Crematory – Geneseo Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Lana McDonough Memorial Fund. 

Lana, born on February 12, 1972, in Geneseo, Illinois, is the daughter of Larry and Wanda (Shieferdecker) Stahl.  Lana graduated from Cambridge High School in the class of 1990 and pursued her passion for education at Black Hawk College and St. Ambrose University, earning her degree in 1996. She had dedicated over thirty years to the Cambridge School District, teaching kindergarten at Alwood Elementary and Cambridge Elementary.  She was a member of the Cambridge Methodist Church where she ran her own preschool, Lana’s Little School, for over ten years.

Lana found the most joy being surrounded by her family, friends, and students. She never missed a sporting event or extra-curricular activity for her children, and could be found on top of the hill at Goff-Stahl field every Friday night during football season watching her boys play. To the cherished students and families in her community that she impacted, she will forever be remembered as “Miss Lana”. Her love for her family grew most recently as she embraced the new title of “Mimi” to her beloved grandson, Emmett.

Lana was an avid horseback rider, a regular at the gym, taught swimming lessons each summer and enjoyed her women’s Tuesday night golf league at Valley View Country Club. Her compassion extended to animals of all kinds; she volunteered to feed baby raccoons and was a proud dog mom to Maggie and Ollie.

Those left to cherish her memory include her parents, Larry and Wanda Stahl of Cambridge; children, Olivia (Keegan) Smith of Davenport, IA, Drake McDonough of Cambridge, and Gavin McDonough of Cambridge; grandson, Emmett Smith; brother, Lonny (Naomi) Stahl of Cambridge; and several aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and cousins.