MILLBURY-George J. “Jidge” Fanning, Jr., DMD, 80 of 42 Davis Road , formerly of Coolidge Road, Worcester died Thursday, January 26th at home. He leaves his wife of 55 years, Alice M. “Suzie” (Haywood) Fanning, 2 daughters, Mary Beth wife of Joseph Pulsifer of Paxton and Ann Marie wife of Stephen Chrobak of Millbury, 3 grandchildren Benjamin J. and Sarah J. Pulsifer and Abigail M. Chrobak. A brother, Bill Fanning predeceased him.
He was born in Providence, the son of George J. and Mary (Platt) Fanning. He was a graduate of South High School, where he served as class president, attended the College of the Holy Cross Accelerated Program, and was a graduate of Tufts Dental School. As a senior at Tufts Dr. Fanning was a Student Fellow in Anatomy, and pitched for 4 years on the Tufts baseball team. Dr. Fanning served his internship at the former Worcester City Hospital, and later served on its staff as well as St. Vincent and the former Fairlawn Hospitals. In 1950 he began his practice, retiring in 1995.
He was a Korean War veteran serving with the Army as a Captain. Dr. Fanning was a long time member of Blessed Sacrament Church and had served as a Eucharistic Minister there. He was a member of Main South Post 341 American Legion, the Worcester Dental Society, the Massachusetts Dental Society and the American Dental Society, the Alumni Club of Holy Cross, the Holy Cross Varsity Club, the Emerald Club and the 4th degree Knights of Columbus, and was a long time member of the Holy Cross Sodality. he received a diploma in Sports Medicine, and served as the dentist for the Holy Cross Footbal Team for many years. For many years he donated office space to the Rape Crisis Center, was a chief contributor to Abbey’s House and Pernet Health and the Nazareth Boys Home. He will be sorely missed by his family, friends and all that knew him.
The funeral is Monday, January 30th from O’CONNOR BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 592 Park Avenue with a Mass at 10:00 AM in Blessed Sacrament Church, 555 Pleasant Street. Burial will be in St. John’s Cemetery. Calling hours are Sunday, January 29th from 3:00 until 6:00 PM in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions to the Nazareth Boys Home, Mulberry Street, Leicester, MA 01524.