Laura L Fanning

Lee was born in Pensacola, FL on March 21, 1923 to the parents of Ethel Glenna Wheat and Charles Hayden Wheat. She was one of 4 siblings who all predeceased her. (Charles Wheat, Stella Holt, Ethel Blake).

She was a Pensacola native who met her future Navy aviator husband Clifford E. Fanning while on a picnic at Perdido Key in 1941. In 1942 Lee and her sister Stella traveled by bus to Corpus Christi Texas where in the Base Chapel Lee married Clifford Earl Fanning as he was continuing his flight training prior to his entry into flying the Hellcat F6F in the Pacific during World War II. 1942 was the beginning of a life journey with Cliff that would take them living on both coasts of the U.S. as well as traveling all over the world.

Home was always Pensacola and it is here that they retired to in 1961 when Cliff began his second career in real estate development. Lee was his helpmate and the one who kept the home intact. A homemaker at heart and her hands were always at work sewing some new creation. Cliff died in 2015 and his loss after 74 years of marriage was devastating to her. With the support of her family she continued to be a vital part of the family for another six years before her journey into God’s hands.

Lee is survived by her three children: Don Fanning (Janice), Charlene Fanning, and Joanne Fanning Andrews (George) as well as 7 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

The family extends their gratitude to YOUR LIFE of PENSACOLA where Lee spent the last three years and our heartfelt appreciation to Vita’s Healthcare which provided Lee’s hospice care during the last two weeks of Lee’s long and adventuresome life; 98 years well lived.

A private graveside service is planned for the family.

In lieu of flowers; donations can be made in her memory to her beloved Christ Church, P.O. Box 12683, Pensacola, FL 32591 or bequest to the Naval Air Museum Foundation, Inc., 1750 Radford Blvd., Suite B, Pensacola, FL 32508.