Mary Lois (Stephens) Fanning

Mary Lois Fanning, 89, departed this earth to be with the Lord on Tuesday, April 30, 2013. She was born in Crawfordville, GA on February 3, 1924. She married her childhood sweetheart, Charlie R. Fanning on August 14, 1944, and was devoted to her husband of 59 years . To this union was born seven children. They moved their family to Columbus, Ohio in 1956. She had an undying love and faith in God, and became a member of Love Zion Baptist Church. She later became a devoted member of New Covenant Believers’ Church. A wife and mother extraordinaire, she loved taking care of her husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren; cooking was her forte. She retired from Mt. Carmel Hospital West after over 20 years of service. A loving and caring person, everyone was drawn to her sweetness, big smile and beautiful personality. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Annie Stephens; husband, sister, 2 brothers, and son, Leroy Fanning, Sr. She leaves to cherish her memory her son, Jerome Fanning (Rika); and daughters, Eunice Foster, Jeroline Johnson (Donald), Shirley Muhammad (Donell), Carolyn Thurman, and Janice Muhammad; 19 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great grandchild; brothers, Elbert Stephens and Ernest Stephens, Jr. ; sister, Aretha Richardson and a host of nieces, nephews and loved ones.