Obituary of Marianna Young Fanning

Marianna Young Fanning, 86, of Roanoke, went home to be with the Lord, on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. She was born on December 3, 1936, in Clarksburg, W.Va., to William A. Young and Mary Reeder Young. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, David Hamilton Young.

She is survived by her children, Brenda Jean Wells (James) of Front Royal, Va., Deborah Ann Tankersley (Thomas) of Roanoke, Va., and John William Fanning (Kimberly) of Weddington, N.C., grandchildren, Valerie Wells Bennsky (Drew), Daniel Steven Wells (Michelle), Cole Patrick Tankersley, and Kaleigh Renee Fanning, and one great-grandson, Lucas Steven Wells.

Marianna graduated from Buckhannon Upshur High School and attended West Virginia Wesleyan College. As a stay-at-home mother in southern WV, she was very active in the Junior Woman's Club and the American Cancer Society.

Marianna was a lifelong Methodist and as such was highly involved in all churches she attended – serving as Choir Director at Iaeger United Methodist Church, in Iaeger, WV and later at St. Marks United Methodist Church in Daleville, Va. After moving back to Buckhannon to take care of her parents, she served as Co-president of United Methodist Women of the First United Methodist Church. Once she moved back to Roanoke, she became an active member of the choir at Northview United Methodist Church; served as President of Northview United Methodist Women; and served as Chair of the Helping Hands Committee for several years. Marianna was also employed as a secretary at Northside High School for several years. Marianna loved traveling and, in the summer of 2019, she flew to North Dakota with grandson, Cole, to complete her dream of seeing all fifty states. Marianna loved going to Broadway plays and amassed an impressive collection of playbills through the years – a joy she has shared with her granddaughters.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorials be made to Northview United Methodist Church, 521 Ridgecrest Drive, Roanoke, VA 24019.

A memorial service will be conducted 2 p.m. Saturday, January 7, 2023, at Simpson Funeral Home, 5160 Peters Creek Road, by Pastor Doug Sasser. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.