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Dwight Fanton, 97, Fairfield WWII Veteran, Attorney

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Dwight Fairchild Fanton of Fairfield died Feb. 4. He was 97.

Fanton previously served as town counsel for Weston and on Westport's Zoning Board of Appeals.

Born Aug. 16, 1915, in East Orange, N.J., he was the son of Ethel and Willard Fanton of Weston. His ancestors settled in Weston in the late 1600s. Raised in New Rochelle, N.Y., Fanton graduated from Yale University in 1937.

Fanton received his law degree from Yale in 1940 and served in the Army as a major during World War II. He was a member of the prosecution team for the military tribunal war crimes proceedings at Dachau, Germany, in 1946.

His career spanned more than 50 years as a managing partner of Pullman & Comley LLC, a Connecticut law firm. Specializing in labor law, Fanton represented many clients, including Hubbell Corporation, Bridgeport Hospital, University of Bridgeport, St. Vincent's and Park City hospitals.

He was involved in the notable U.S. Supreme Court case, Corey v. Avco-Lycoming Division, in 1972. In Trumbull, he served as chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission and was a deputy judge and prosecutor in the Town Court.

Fanton was the former chairman of the Bridgeport Red Cross and United Fund, a former trustee of Saugatuck Congregational Church in Westport and a member of the Greenfield Hill Congregational Church in Greenfield Hill.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Roma F. Fanton; a son, Jonathan F. Fanton; two daughters, Deborah Joan Fanton and Roma Fanton Hoyt; and five grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 16 at Greenfield Hill Congregational Church in Fairfield. Spear-Miller Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to Fairfield Museum and History Center Archives, 370 Beach Road, Fairfield CT 06824, or Emerge Inc., P.O. Box 1190, Stratford, CT 06615.

 

Correction: The story originally included an incorrect date for the memorial service. 

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