'Local hero,' icon, community leader Ed Lanni dies at age 97
Edward Lanni had a storied career, serving his country for a total of 56 years ― 40 years in the U.S. government and 16 years as a merchant mariner.
The longtime Cocoa resident — who was known as "Captain Ed" to many ― died on Dec. 16 at age 97.
Lanni is a retired Merchant Marine captain, and his career included command of Military Sealift Command vessels, including the U.S. Naval Ship Vanguard that was home-ported at Port Canaveral. He also was the master of the U.S. Naval Ship Range Sentinel, a tracking ship that operated out of Port Canaveral.
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In remarks made at the recent Wreaths Across America ceremony at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery, Canaveral Port Authority Secretary/Treasurer Wayne Justice called Lanni "a local hero."
"Orphaned at 3 years old, he joined the service at the start of the Second World War," recounted Justice, who is a retired Coast Guard rear admiral. "Capt. Ed Lanni served this country on literally dozens of ships, in the Navy and Merchant Marines, for 56 years. In addition to World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam and Gulf Wars, he drove troop ships in five other conflicts."
After retiring from his sea duties, Lanni served in a number of volunteer roles in his hometown of Cocoa and elsewhere on the Space Coast.
The Cocoa City Council in 2020 proclaimed his birthday, May 11, as "Captain Ed Lanni Day," with an accompanying proclamation recognizing Lanni as "a tireless and dedicated supporter of the Merchant Marines, Port Canaveral and the city of Cocoa."
The resolution noted that "the time and effort that Capt. Lanni has contributed to the community says so much about the person that he is."
The city of Cocoa also named a dock at Lee Wenner Park after Lanni.
"He was, to me, an icon in the community," said Donn Weaver, chairman of the Brevard Veterans Council and vice president of the Veterans Memorial Center on Merritt Island. "He was an institution. He was an example of 'never stop serving.' "
Weaver noted that, during a Memorial Day commemoration this year at the Veterans Memorial Center, Lanni was honored with the Merchant Mariner of World War II Congressional Gold Medal from U.S. Rep. Bill Posey. Weaver said Lanni was the first Floridan to receive that honor.
In 2020, Congress passed the Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act to recognize the merchant mariners for their courage and contributions during the war. Merchant mariners are civilian sailors who operate ships carrying commercial goods to worldwide ports. During wartime or a national emergency, the U.S. military can call the merchant mariners into service to transport personnel and supplies to wartime theaters.
Lanni has been involved with the Centennial Committee, the Cocoa Charter Review Committee, Cocoa Main Street, the Cocoa Planning and Zoning Board, the Cocoa Redevelopment Agency, the Cocoa Schools Recreation Committee, the Greater Cocoa Community Partnership, the Historic Derby Street Chapel, the Navy League of the United States Space Coast Council and the Rotary Club of Cocoa. He also was one of the original members of the Cocoa Police Department's Volunteer Citizens Observer Program.
Lanni was a regular at Cocoa City Council and Canaveral Port Authority meetings.
Justice said, in retirement, Lanni "was a fixture in the city of Cocoa, for decades supporting the city government in various volunteer ways."
Lanni is survived by his wife of 35 years, Shirley Ingram-Lanni; four children; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Information on a formal service has not yet been announced, according to Beckman-Williamson Funeral Homes.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking to for donations in Lanni's name to the National Veterans Homeless Support.
Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on Twitter at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Noted veteran, community leader Ed Lanni dies at age 97
