John J. Fanning of Delray Beach, FL. passed away peacefully at home on March 29, 2019, comforted by the love of family and friends. John was born October 7, 1940, to Francis and Helen (Briggs) Fanning, and grew up in Shrewsbury, MA, where he lived nearly his entire life until retiring to Delray Beach in 2012. John is survived by his wife of 12 years, Sharon (Powderly) Fanning and her two children, Jennifer Colombo and Jonathan Powderly. John leaves three children- Richard Fanning and his wife Ginger of Milton, MA, Stephanie George and her husband Joseph of Greenfield, MA, and Erin Fanning and her husband, Fulgencio Lazo of Seattle, WA. John had four grandchildren who were an unending source of pride for him, Joseph George of Turners Falls, Matias and Maya Lazo-Fanning of Seattle, and John “Jack” Fanning of Milton. John cherished his stepdaughters Sheryl Johnson and Diana Carelli, and his second wife, Andrea L Raymond, who passed away in 1989. John leaves sisters Maureen Stanley, of Worcester and Linda Atchue of Sutton. John was predeceased by his first wife, Martha “Kate” Higginbotham, who passed away on September 14, 2018.

John dedicated 25 years of service to the New England Power Company in the construction and welding trades. He was a charter member of IBEW Local 486 and a proud union steward. After retirement, he drove briefly for Knight’s Limousine, and considered himself a “great, professional” driver, a fact that was debatable depending upon your perspective! His greatest honor was to have been the chauffeur by happenstance to Miss Rosa Parks, a story he loved to tell.

John was an avid golfer who spent a lifetime chasing the elusive birdie. He will be sorely missed by his golf buddies, who profited from friendly wagers they made with John, who never stopped believing he could sink putts!  John loved fishing too, especially out on the sea with friends. He was a great deckhand and thought there was nothing better than to be on the open ocean with a cigar clenched between his teeth.

Throughout his life, John had many deep and abiding friendships. He was sometimes ornery, and not known for an excess of patience, but was valued for his loyalty and big heart. He became lifelong friends with more than a few of his buddies from Calvin Coolidge Elementary School in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. He treasured his friendships and worked to maintain connections with his New England pals during his retirement in Florida. Just last month, John celebrated 20 years of recovery and fellowship in Alcoholics Anonymous, where he was active in service to others and loved by many. If the value of a man is measured by an accounting of his friends, John would be considered among the richest.

John loved the outdoors. If you visited him in Delray Beach, he likely took you to stroll the boardwalks of Wakodahatchee Wetlands. He spent hours bird watching and counting alligators there and loved to share the experience with others. If you are moved to make a donation in his name, we ask that you contribute to Palm Beach County Environmental Resource Group, who maintain wetlands and conservation projects in the area. Donation info can be found at: http://discover.pbcgov.org/erm/Pages/Donations.aspx

A celebration of John’s life will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at 12:00 PM at Cyprian Keys, 284 East Temple St. Boylston, MA.