Lana Diane Gerica Mayer, 71, of Slidell, Louisiana, passed away on Wednesday, February 21,2024 at 2:00 a.m. at Slidell Memorial Hospital in Slidell. She had been suffering from congestive heart failure.

Lana was born on May 29,1952 at the Hotel Dieu Hospital in New Orleans, LA. to Nicholas Marko Gerica and Ramona Grace Guerrera Gerica.

She was married on February 16,1974 to Louis James Mayer at First English Lutheran Church in New Orleans, LA. They were married for 50 years and recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary while she was in the hospital. She had been in SMH for over two weeks. They had no children.

She attended St. James Major High School and the Louisiana State University in New Orleans (LSUNO). She successfully completed two years of undergraduate work at LSUNO. She and her husband, Louis attended LSUNO together for two years.

Lana was a professional equestrian and taught dressage equitation throughout the USA and in the New Orleans metropolitan area. She was an author of the book, Classical Values on dressage equitation and was working on a second book.

She was a resident of New Orleans and then in 1990 she moved to Slidell, LA.  with her horses and her husband and the construction of her house and barn for which she supervised their construction. She had Lipizzaners and Arabians. At the time of her passing she had only one horse, a Morgan named, Devon.

She attended church services at Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Slidell, LA. where her husband was the church organist.

Prior to COVID 19, she participated in several weekly markets in New Orleans, LA. She would sell baked goods at the markets from her booth under the name, "Lana's Sweets."

She and her husband were devoted students of the Civil War and visited areas of Virginia within the Shenandoah Valley.   We visited VMI Lexington, Virginia three times and toured the chapel and classroom where General Stonewall Jackson taught. Lana donated to the restoration of General Jackson's uniform at VMI which he wore at First Manassas in 1861. We also participated in militaria shows.

She was a devoted Christian and loved Jesus and served him every day. She knew the gospel of our Lord and Savior and followed it. She took Holy Communion regularly. When she was in the hospital at SMH, Pastor Klemme of Lamb of God visited her and gave her Holy Communion.

Lana was a strong and determined person. When she said no, she meant it. She loved her family. She helped anyone who needed help. She knew what she wanted and pursued her goals. She guided her husband in all aspects of married life, and he loved her very much for what she did.

She loved heavy metal music and country western music especially Alice Cooper and Marti Robbins.

She is now with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ in Heaven enjoying the company of her mother, father, grandmother, great grandmother, and others. She is no longer suffering.

She is survived by her husband, Louis James Mayer, her brother, Peter Gerica, her niece, Christina Gerica, several relatives and close friends.

She will be missed and loved.

Funeral Services will be held at Honaker Funeral Home, 1751 Gause Blvd West, Slidell, Lousiana, on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

Visitation will begin at 9:00am followed by the service at 11:00am.

Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Slidell.