Wiley Tanner

1921 - 2019

Wiley B. Tanner passed away December 10, 2019. He was born in Stafford County, Kansas, on November 13, 1921 to James and Elsie Tanner on a large family farm that has been in family since the 1880's. In what was unusual for the time, he had only one sibling, an older brother named Raymond who passed away several years ago. He graduated from Radium High School, a school that no longer exists, in Radium, Kansas, a town about 10 miles from their farm. He graduated from Kansas A&M, now known as Kansas State University with a degree in Veterinary Medicine. He served in the US Army during WWII in the Army Specialized Training Program and was discharged in late 1944. He married his college sweetheart Ruby A. Brown, in 1944 and began working for the State of Illinois. In late 1945 he set up private practice in Atchinson, Kansas and then moved to St. John, Kansas to set up another private practice. In 1948 he joined the Bureau of Animal Industry and was sent to Mexico to help in the control of Hoof and Mouth Disease. In October 1951, because of the Korean War, he was recalled in the US Air Force. He stayed in the US Air Force until retiring in 1970. During his time in the Air Force he stationed in California, Kansas, Guam, Alabama, Louisiana, England, Texas and Colorado. During that time, he earned an advanced degree in Public Health from Tulane University. After the Air Force he worked for the Texas Health Department for another fifteen years. He and his wife, Ruby, moved to Canon City in 1985 to spend their retirement years. They would have celebrated their 76th wedding anniversary this January. Wiley is survived by his wife; three children; six grandchildren; and one great grandson. Memorial service, 10AM Friday, December 27, 2019, Living Word Four Square Church, 1710 Mariposa Rd., Canon City, CO. Services have been entrusted to Holt Funeral Home. Online condolences, www.holtfamilyfuneralhomes.com