RICHFIELD SPRINGS - Francis Joseph Tanner, age 78, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Friday evening, November 1, 2013, in Faxton-Saint Lukes Medical Center, New Hartford after a long fight with many illnesses. He had comfort of his loving family at his side. He was born on August 21, 1935 in Bridgewater, son of the late Myron and Margaret Kelley Tanner. A lifelong area resident, he was a graduate of Richfield Springs High School. On July 27, 1957 he was united in marriage with the former Adeline E. LaValley in Saint Patricks Roman Catholic Church in Clayville.For forty years Mr. Tanner owned and operated the Tanner Dairy Farm in the town of Exeter as well as being a truck mechanic for the Town of Exeter Highway Department and an auto mechanic for many years at Skinner Damulis Ford and various other car dealerships in the area.He also had a lawn mowing business.He retired in 2010. Francis was a member of Saint Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church in Richfield Springs. Mr. Tanner had a strong sense of community, he was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council # 579, Herkimer, a member of the Dairy League, was a member of the Farm Bureau where he had served on the board of directors, a member of Team 51 AHA and the Army National Guard.In his leisure time he enjoyed collecting model cars, watching NASCAR races on television, especially his two favorite drivers Dale Jarrrett and Carl Edwards. He was also an avid New York Yankees baseball fan.To all who knew him his greatest joy was the time spent at the family camp up north. He was the rock of his family and will be greatly missed. Surviving him are his devoted wife of fifty six years Adeline Esther Tanner, two sons, Gerald Tanner of Richfield Springs, Thomas Tanner and his wife Lyla of Burlington Flats, four daughters, Joyce Key and her husband Edwin, Ann Smith and her husband Richard, Susan Tanner all of Richfield Springs, Audrey Warner and her husband James of Schuyler Lake, his grandchildren, Monica, Rebecca, Wayne, Veronica, Joseph, Gregory, William, Christopher, Matthew, Michael, Darlene, Amanda, Kevin, Nancy, Justin, Laurie, Carrie, Jillian, Kyle, Keegan and twenty two great grandchildren and their families. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by a brother Lawrence Tanner one sister Betty Tanner and grandson Jarred Romero. Calling hours for Mr. Tanner will be on Tuesday from 5:00 until 8:00 pm in J. Seaton McGrath Funeral Home, 40 West James Street; Richfield Springs. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday at 11:00 am in Saint Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church.Interment will follow Saint Josephs Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may be made with memorial donations to the American Heart Association. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.Members of the Herkimer Knights of Columbus are asked to meet at the funeral home at 5:30 pm on Tuesday for ritualistic services.