CONNIE BELLE LANNING (ORLER) BATH

07/27/1923 - 10/30/2022

Connie Belle Lanning (Orler) Bath, died peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, Sunday, Oct. 30, at age 99. Born to Royston Conrad “Doc” Lanning and Mollie Belle Searcy July 27, 1923, in Palo Pinto, TX, Connie and younger brother Royston, were products of small town Texas life during the Great Depression. Motherless from cancer by 15 with a politician father on the campaign trail, Connie was shuffled to loving aunts in such exotic places as Jacksboro, Eliasville, Commerce and big-city Mineral Wells before moving to Austin. Her mother’s death led to the passage of a bill co-authored by Sen. Lanning which created The University of Texas Cancer and Tumor Institute (MD Anderson). She attended UT Austin during the war years and married a young soldier, Allan Orler who broadened her travel, living in nine states over 18 years. She gave birth to Karen in 1954 and an infant son, Mark (deceased) in 1956.

In 1963, Connie now divorced moved to Houston and began her educational career. Known and loved as “Mizorler,” she earned a master’s, and worked her way from teacher to magnet coordinator (L.L. Pugh), vice-principal (Felix Tijerina), and principal (Herod) turning her last posting into a Vanguard school. In 1986 she married Navy Capt. (Retired) Alan H. Bath, PhD whom she met in Germany on a walking tour and began travel in earnest, crisscrossing the globe together for the next 30 years, as hikers and wanderlusts.

Connie is survived by her beloved husband Alan; daughter Karen Krakower Kaplan (Samuel); grandchildren Brittney Naaman (Michael), and Andrew Krakower; great-grandchildren Charlie and Toni Naaman; sister Phyllis Welsch (Linden); nieces Cynthia Hampton (Keith), Julia Mallin (Chuck), Leslie Fleischmann (Stephen); nephews R.C. Lanning (Ricki), Jim Lanning (Monica), Linden Welsch; and numerous great nieces, nephews and loving friends. She is preceded in death by her brother Royston and wife Anita.

Heartfelt gratitude to her devoted caregivers who loved her like a mother: Loreena, Mariama, Rosalva and Giselle; Vitas Hospice and UT Physicians for their care. Contributions can be made to Congregation Emanu El Rabbi Roy & Linda Enrichment Fund or UTHealth Consortium on Aging. Memorial service takes place Sunday, Nov.13, 3pm at BradshawCarter Funeral Home.