Helen Lucille Fanning

Helen Fanning, 87, died Wednesday, November 18, 2020. Rosary will be at 5:00 pm, Sunday, November 22, 2020, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 am, Monday, November 23, 2020, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Service will be livestreamed via this link: Preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Theresa Jaegle; husband, Francis (Frank) Richard Fanning; son, Stephen Fanning; sister, Rosie Ella Kurtz; brothers, Charles Jaegle, Frank E. Jaegle. Survived by her children Elaine (Tom) Adornetto of Derwood, MD; Diane (Scott) Ball of Wichita, KS; David (Debbie) Fanning of Wichita, KS and grandchildren (Jeffrey Jagoda, Douglas Jagoda; Kelsey Ball, Ryan Ball, and Kaley Ball; Elizabeth Fanning). Helen (Jaegle) was born on August 31, 1933 in Fort Scott, Ks, the daughter of Frank J. and Theresa B. (Lauber) Jaegle. In 1941 she moved to Atchison and graduated from the Mount St. Scholastic high school where she met Frank who was attending St. Benedictine college. They were married November 13, 1954 at Ellington AFB, Pasadena, Tx and remained married for 54 years until Frank’s death in 2008. Helen was a devoted wife and mother always holding the family together throughout her husband’s military career. As an Air Force officer’s wife she became quite adept at picking up and moving 9 times over the course of 30 years [Pasadena, TX (Elaine and Stephen’s birthplace), Lake Charles, LA (Diane’s birthplace), Oscoda, MI (David’s birthplace); Montgomery, AL; Rancho Cordova, CA; Vienna, VA; Derby, KS; Okinawa, Japan; Portsmouth, NH)]. Helen then returned to Derby, Ks when Frank retired. She was not only a devout Catholic attending religious services regularly but gave back to her community always with a pleasant smile and infectious optimism. She held positions within the officers wife clubs (mentoring other young officer’s wives), volunteered at her children’s elementary schools and library, taught CCD classes, was member of the altar society, volunteered with the Red Cross (McConnell AFB pharmacy) for over 30 years and was “Sunshine Lady” for the retired officer’s wife club. In her leisure time she enjoyed singing in many church choirs, playing the piano, gardening, sewing/embroidery, exercising (swimming, water aerobics, walking) reading, sudoku puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, playing bridge, games (Mexican train, cards and other board games) and cooking was her specialty including French and Japanese cooking classes. She loved history and traveling to new and interesting places including almost all 50 states (yes, Hawaii and Alaska) and some international stops (Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea, Philippines, Canada, France and the Caribbean). She was a good listener and always there to support her children and grandchildren. Memorials have been established with: St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 1321 N Stratford Ln, Wichita, KS 67206, and Victory in the Valley, 3755 E Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS 67218. Downing & Lahey Mortuary - East Chapel. Share tributes online at: www.dlwichita.com.