Jody Lynn Hanlan
Jan. 5, 1965-Oct. 10, 2020
Jody Lynn Hanlan, age 55, passed away the morning of Saturday, October 10th, 2020, surrounded by loving family. Jody was born to James and Janet (Metlow) Matzdorf in Chewelah, WA on January 5th, 1965.
A longtime Valley resident, Jody was raised in Valley, running on the Chewelah High School track team and graduating from Chewelah in the spring of 1983. That same year, she married her high school sweetheart, Troy Kinder, and they enjoyed 3 years together before parting ways. In 1986, Jody married Pat Hanlan, and together they welcomed three children, beginning in 1987 with Patrick, followed by James and Lacey. Jody’s kids were her everything, and she found joy during this time raising them and encouraging everything they did.
After the end of her marriage to Pat, Jody reentered the work force, working in the library at the Springdale School from 2001 until 2006. After a visit from her sister Janell in Alaska, Jody and her children decided to board Janell’s converted bus and return with her to the great wilderness of Alaska. Joy spent four years working as a security guard for a large gold mining operation, and in her free time she enjoyed spending time at the Buffalo Bar, which she later managed.
Returning to the Valley community that she called home for the majority of her life, Jody retired due to some health concerns in (2010), and she began to enjoy the extra family time retirement allowed. Family was everything to Jody, and she was overjoyed when her grandsons were born and she was able to become a doting grandmother. Jody will be remembered as a woman with lots of love and a heart of gold, who would frequently go out of her way to make sure that everyone around her and her family was well taken care of and loved.
Jody was preceded in death by her mother, Janet Louise Matzdorf. She is survived by her father, James Matzdorf, of Valley; sons Patrick (Sandra) Hanlan and James (Katherine) Hanlan; daughter Lacey Hanlan of Spokane, WA; sisters Janell (Kerry) Erickson of Delta Junction, AK, Jill (Doug) Ryan of St. Maries, ID and Jamie (Steve) Lovato of Valley; grandsons Maverick Underhill and Lowen Hanlan; and numerous nieces and nephews, as well as all the Lost Boys that she always welcomed into her home.
A celebration of life was held at the Valley grange on Saturday, October 17, 2020. Please visit the on-line memorial and sign the guestbook at www.danekasfuneralchapel.com. Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory is entrusted in care.