Cecil Fannin

Cecil Fannin, 86, of Catlettsburg, went to join the Lord on Saturday, June 4, 2011.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Marie Conley Fannin; a son, David Fannin and his wife, Lucille, of Delray Beach, Fla.; and a daughter, Nancy McDowell and her husband, Fred, of Catlettsburg. He also leaves behind five grandchildren, Christopher Fannin and his wife, Melissa, of Lexington, Tina McDowell Bryan and her husband, Thomas, of Catlettsburg, Brian Fannin and his wife, Inessa, of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., Leslie McDowell Legg and her husband, Donald, of Rush and Catherine Fannin Peel and her husband, Matt, of Stratford-upon-Avon, England. He also leaves behind four great-grandchildren, Jacob Bryan (son of Tina and Thomas Bryan), Erin Fannin (daughter of Christopher and Melissa Fannin) and Leia Fannin and Miles Fannin (daughter and son of Brian and Inessa Fannin).

A lifelong resident of Boyd County, Mr. Fannin was a member of Oakland Avenue Baptist Church of Catlettsburg, where he was a retired deacon and taught Sunday school for many years. In total, he taught Sunday school for more than 65 years. Cecil was born July 1, 1924, to Eden and Lillie Fannin of Ashland. He had a brother, James Donald Fannin, and a sister, Willa Fairchild, both deceased.

Cecil was a graduate of the old Thomas R. Brown High School of Catlettsburg in 1942, where he was proud to have played high school football. He tried to join military service during World War II but was unable to serve because of a perforated eardrum, so he worked at the Clayton Lambert munitions plant in Ashland during the war. There he met the love of his life in fellow defense worker Marie Conley, originally from Salyersville. They were married May 13, 1944. Their son, David Cecil, was born in February 1946 and their daughter, Nancy Lu, in January 1948.

Cecil worked at Armco Steel in Ashland until his retirement in 1982. Prior to working at Armco, he worked as an electrical contractor and operated a Western Auto retail store in Catlettsburg. In retirement, he took great joy in his family and his church family, especially in teaching Sunday school. He was an enthusiastic sports fan of local high school teams and the University of Kentucky and was proud of his great-grandson, Jacob, who followed in his footsteps as a football player.

Among many friends and loved ones, Cecil also leaves behind sisters-in-law Versa Berger, Elizabeth Conley and Audrey Cooper of Salyersville, Patricia Patrick and her husband, Roy, of Catlettsburg, Marilyn Green and her husband, Doug, of Ashland and Sue Walthall and her husband, Jim, of Ashland; and brothers-in-law Jess Conley of Milford, Ohio, and Don Conley and his wife, Grace, of Owensboro. Among a number of nieces and nephews, he had a close relationship with his late sister's son, Larry Fairchild, and his wife, Ellen, of Anna Maria Island, Fla.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 7 at Oakland Avenue Baptist Church under the direction of Neal Funeral Home in Catlettsburg. His pastor, Mike Blankenship, will bring words of comfort. Final rest will be in Golden Oaks Memorial Gardens in Ashland.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Tuesday at the church. His grandchildren will serve as casket bearers.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, the family requests contributions be directed to Oakland Avenue Baptist Church in Catlettsburg, the American Heart Association or the National MS Society