Sumner Stanley Fanger

Sumner Fanger, age 100, passed away at his home in Needham, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, May 31. He is survived by his wife Phyllis (Shapiro), his son Peter and wife Louisa (Joel), and his son David and husband Martin Wechsler.

Born and raised in Boston, Sumner fought in the Pacific in World War II with the US Army Air Corps, was a graduate of Northeastern University and Boston University School of Law, and practiced law for a living. But his life extended far beyond the law. Sumner was a loving and incredibly supportive husband, father, father-in-law, uncle, uncle-in-law, and granduncle. He was both a ceaseless storyteller and a very good listener, two attributes which endeared him to everyone he met. While hardly an athlete, he enjoyed fishing, camping and boating (all the source of many stories), and in retirement also enjoyed travelling and doing genealogy research, a skill he taught to many others. He was always curious, usually kept an open mind, had an incredible memory, was a bit of a dreamer, wore his heart on his sleeve, and was generous to all in spirit.

Donations in Sumner’s memory may be made to Northeastern University, BU School of Law or TILL Springboard, an organization serving adults with special needs which Sumner helped to found.