Dorothy Fanning McGill

Our beloved mother and loving grandmother left us peacefully to be with Jesus on June 27th, 2017. “Dot” was born in Enterprise, Alabama moving to Arlington, Georgia in 1936, entering Georgia State Women’s College at age 17 and graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Social Work at age 19 . She studied at New York University for post-graduate credit in group Social Work and eventually accepted a position as Program Coordinator with Camp Fire Girls in Atlanta, Georgia. She left that position when Lt. J. Noyce Fanning, Jr., serving as Counter Intelligence Officer in General Patton’s 3rd Army, was discharged at the end of WWII. Their wedding was held on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th, 1946, at the Arlington Methodist Church. The couple started their married life in Mr. Fanning’s hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.

Mrs. Fanning quickly became acquainted with Jacksonville by traveling Duval County while working as a social worker for the Family Service Agency. She later was employed by the Duval Medical Center as a Social Worker at the Psychiatric Hospital, and was active in the development of the first autonomous out-patient Psychiatric Clinic and served on its board. She was President of the Duval County Association of Social Workers. She also served on the Mental Health Association Board and was a Board Member and Officer of Family Counseling Services. Mrs. Fanning was active in the Riverside Junior Woman’s Club, serving as Vice-President, on the Board of Directors of Jacksonville,Camp Fire Girls. She also served on the board of Riverside Park Apartments, an outreach of Riverside Park United Methodist Church, where she was an active member from 1946 until her death.

In 1955 she began the hard work of being a mom as she and Noyce welcomed three children and her widowed mother (their beloved “Charlie”), into their family. They built a home in the Beauclerc-Mandarin area large enough for their growing family and lived happily there. Noyce, Vice-President of the State Bank, was called upon to organize the first Dad’s Club for the new Beauclerc Elementary School as well as serving on numerous non-profit boards, including National United Way oversight committees.

In 1971 tragedy struck the family when Noyce Fanning died suddenly of a heart attack, leaving his wife with a 15 year old, 13 year old and 8 year old, to raise alone. She eventually decided to assuage her devastation by accepting a position she was offered as Director of a new agency service project for young parents. This was a comprehensive program for pregnant school girls who weren’t allowed to attend Duval County Schools. Eventually the federal funds were withdrawn during the Nixon Administration. Mrs. Fanning went to the Community Council to help with a program being sponsored called Volunteer Jacksonville, evolving into the present HandsOn Jacksonville. She was this agency’s first Director. Mrs. Fanning resigned in 1978 to marry Raymond McGill who died in 2012 at 99 years. They had 34 years of “blended family happiness”. In their elderly years, Dot’s daughter, Adair, moved into the home to care for them.

Mrs. Fanning-McGill leaves loving memories for her children, J. Noyce Fanning III (Kathi, deceased), Laura F. Gillis (Donny), Adair F. Yearwood (Dan), Marla M. Froehling (Bob); and her dear friend and caregiver, Janet Reiprish. Her grandchildren, so greatly loved, and of whom she was so proud of, Laura Leigh Caswell (Jim), Anna Hoffman, Julianne Gillis, Melissa Meador (Chip), Mandy Nguyen (Rich), Robert Yearwood (Jessica), Amy (Sherard) Saladeen; and great-grandchildren, Jim Caswell V, Caroline Meador, James Meador and Aiden Saladeen.

Services will be held at the Oaklawn Chapel, 4801 San Jose Blvd , Jacksonville Florida, 32207, 10:00am, Friday June 30th, 2017 with Rev. Emily Knight, officiating. In lieu of flowers please make donations in memory to Riverside Park United Methodist Church, 819 Park Street, Jacksonville, Florida, 32204.