Elanna Platt Kaplan (Loni), z”l, passed away on Dec. 2, after a brave four-year battle with cancer. She was 47. Her book, Something Extraordinary, is a profound journal of her experiences and insight into living her life after her diagnosis. Her favorite quote was “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain!” by Vivian Greene. Loni wrote: “Like my blue eyes, cancer is part of who I am, but it does not define me. Friends have told me that my positive attitude has influenced them to more fully enjoy life – driving with the windows down, having a meal with family, having travel adventures with their children, reading in a hammock at sunset, or by any other way that fulfills the thought.” The devoted mother and teacher of her four sons, for more than 10 years Loni was the inspirational leader and resource for homeschoolers and the profoundly gifted student community and their families across the country. She attended the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, graduated from Northwood High School and Duke University with degrees in college guidance and psychology. She earned her master’s degree in these disciplines after her marriage in 1989. Loni is survived by her husband Todd, sons Adam, Jaron, Evan and Derek; parents Harriet and Ira Platt; sister Debbie Platt Bluestein and brother Michael Tudor Platt. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
