Posted: 8/20/03

Vince LaManna, 64, was first president of Wyoming Lions Club

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Whenever the Wyoming Lions Club takes on a project to help a worthy community cause or project, Vince LaManna is one of the reasons why.

Thirty years ago LaManna led a drive in Wyoming to charter a Lions Club there. He was the clubís first president and helped set the course for the next three decades of community service.

Now the Wyoming club has lost one of its founders.

LaManna, 64, died on June 30 in Bradenton, FL, where he has lived since 1995. He was 64 and had fought cancer the first six months of the year, said his wife, Annette.

A native of the West 7th Street neighborhoods of St. Paul, LaManna spent a short but active five years in Wyoming. The LaMannas were Wyoming residents from 1973 through 1977 when they returned to St. Paul where LaManna was a career truck driver and Teamsters union member.

During his five years in Wyoming, LaManna was an active community member. In addition to his Lions service, LaManna helped organize an area Toastmasters International Chapter and helped form and coach a Golden Gloves boxing club in Wyoming.

Although he never boxed, his wife of 34 years said he was a big booster and fan of the sport.

ìHe loved boxing and the fights,î she said. ìHe thought it was good for kids to learn to box and fight fair.î

The LaMannas moved back to St. Paul in 1977 where he was active in numerous political circles and also helped found the St. Paul Chapter of the Order of the Sons of Italy in America. He was the chapterís first president.

More details

Vincent J. LaManna was born in St. Paul in 1939 and graduated from Monroe High School in 1956. After high school, he spent two years in the Army.

After leaving the military, LaManna attended Brown Institute in Minneapolis and went to work in radio. He worked at stations in Red Wing and Hayward, WI in the 1960s for a short time before turning to trucking for his livelihood.

He spent 30 years with Merchants Leasing, St. Paul, and was a member of Teamsters Local Union 120. He retired in 1995 and moved to Florida the same day, his wife said. The couple spent seven months of the year in Florida and the balance of the time in St. Paul.

Annette LaManna said her husband learned in January of his cancer. ìHe was macho all his life and he went out macho,î she said. ìHe never once complained about the pain.î

Memorial services for LaManna took place in Florida on July 30 and in St. Paul on Aug. 12.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by daughters Kim (Gordon) Plorin, Christina LaManna and Kerri (Richard) Kleinschmidt; stepson Kurt Harlan; sister Mariette Schmidt; brothers Philip LaManna and Nick (Darla) LaManna; five grandchildren and many nieces and nephews; and brothers-in-law Bernhard (MonaLee) Ackert and Norman (Dolores) Ackert.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Nick and Marion LaManna.

The family requests memorials to Hospice of Southwest Florida, 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34238, or the American Cancer Society, 1750 N. 17th St., Sarasota, FL, 34234.

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