Gerald (Jerry) L. Kanning passed away on Wednesday, February 7 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was born in Fort Wayne on September 12, 1933 to Albert and Eleanor (Mertens) Kanning.
He married Marie Ann Toepfer of Peru, Indiana at St. John's Lutheran Church, Peru, on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1965, and they were blessed with 58 years together.
Jerry grew up in Fort Wayne, attending Redeemer Lutheran Church and graduating from Bethlehem Lutheran School. He graduated from Concordia Lutheran High School in 1951, later serving his country in Korea. Jerry became a brick mason, a job he loved, and worked for various construction companies through the years. He later attended Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, and opened his own business, Kanning Masonry. He assisted in the construction of numerous civic buildings, schools, churches, businesses and homes throughout Fort Wayne. In retirement, he worked part-time at the Heart Center/Lutheran Medical Group.
Jerry is survived by his wife Marie Kanning and their daughters, Gail E. Kanning and Gwen H. Kanning, all of Fort Wayne. (Jerry was very proud that he was the first father allowed to visit his babies in Lutheran Hospital's NICU.) He is also survived by his sister, Judy (late Charles) Brothers of Willow Springs, Missouri and his brother, James (Cindy) Kanning of New Albany, Indiana. Also surviving is sister-in-law Janet Toepfer of Fort Wayne.

Besides his parents, Jerry was preceded in death by a triplet infant daughter, Gerri Ann Kanning, and sister and brother-in-law June and William Brutcher of Beech Grove, Indiana.

Jerry was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 917 West Jefferson Boulevard, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802.

A visitation will be at FairHaven Funeral Home, 6557 North Clinton Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825 on Monday, February 12 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Also at Emmanuel Lutheran Church on Tuesday, February 13 from 10 - 11 a.m., one hour before the service.

The funeral service will be held at Emmanuel Lutheran Church at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 13 with Rev. Thomas Eggold and Rev. Arthur Klausmeier officiating.
Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Park, Fort Wayne.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to the following: the Preschool of Emmanuel-St. Michael Lutheran School, 1123 Union Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802 or Concordia Lutheran High School, 1601 St. Joe River Drive, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805.
"I know that my Redeemer lives" (Job 19:25).