Edward Vanner, Jr., 58, of Hope Furnace Road, died unexpectedly on Monday, June 17, 2013. He was the husband of Brenda Lee (Whitman) Vanner. They would have celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary on October 16, 2013.
Born in Providence, he was a son of the late Edward W. and Teresa (Nappi) Vanner. Edward was the Assistant Fire Chief at the Quonset State Airport Fire Department in North Kingstown, and was employed there since 1990. He previously worked for the RI Dept. of Environmental Management (DEM).
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Assistant Chief Vanner,” said Col. Arthur Floru, 143d Airlift Wing Commander. “Our hearts go out to the Vanner family during this difficult time. Chief Vanner was a dedicated firefighter for over 23 years and a valued member of our team.”
Ed, an avid race fan, worked for 20 years on the crash and rescue response team for Speedway Safety Services at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. He was the father of Zachary P. Vanner of Coventry, Edward W. Vanner III and Stefanie Vanner, both of Warwick; grandfather of Cassidy and Sophia Vanner; brother of Donna L. Vanner of Warwick and Teresa A. LaCroix of Coventry. Ed was the son in law of Paul and Patricia Boudreau of Coventry and Robert and Frances Whitman of Westerly.
Visiting hours are Sunday, June 23, 2013 from 4-7 p.m. with a Memorial Service at 7 p.m. in the Iannotti Funeral Home, 415 Washington St., (Rte. 117), Coventry.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Down's Syndrome Society of RI, 99 Bald Hill Rd., Cranston, RI 02920 (www.dssri.org) or the American Heart Association (www.heart.org) will be appreciated.
