Philip Fanning

1935 - 2024

Philip Fanning
04/07/1935 - 05/06/2024
On the morning of May 6, 2024, Philip Ashley Fanning passed away of natural causes in his beloved home of San Francisco. Phil was born on April 7, 1935, in Indianapolis to Francis and Audrey Fanning. He graduated from Swarthmore College in 1957, and served in the U.S. Army 1958-1960. He moved to San Francisco where he met and married his wife of 62 years, Linda Collins Fanning. He worked as head of the publicity department for the publishing company of W.H Freeman until he and Linda opened Fanning's Bookstore in the inner Sunset neighborhood of the City, which they ran together for 11 years. After retiring from the bookstore Phil and Linda moved to Guadalajara, Mexico for two years where Phil volunteered as a reading tutor. They then returned to San Francisco and Phil published two books, "Mark Twain and Orion Clemens: Brothers, Partners, Strangers" and "Isaac Newton and the Transmutation of Alchemy." His writing also included a series of fun California travel mysteries. He enjoyed drawing and painting, jazz music, Giants baseball, jogging and long walk through the City with Linda. Phil is survived by his wife, Linda; daughters, Alice and Leslie; and son-in-law, Armando; sister, Cindy; grandchildren, Mikey, Zach, Keighley, and Damien; and great-grandchildren, Cecelia, and Beau.