Dr. Francis Anthony Faggioni, Jr

Dr. Francis Anthony Faggioni, age 77 of DeFuniak Springs passed away at his residence Thursday, March 22, 2012. He was born December 12, 1934 in Pensacola, Florida, the son of Francis A. Faggioni, Sr. and Edna Carson Faggioni. A native Pensacolian he graduated from Pensacola High School with the Class of 1952. Francis earned his bachelors degree from Florida State University and his DDS from the Emory School of Dentistry where he graduated with honors third from the top of his class. After graduation he joined the U.S, Navy and was commissioned as a Lieutenant JG with the Dental Corps. He was later attached to the U. S. Marines as a Captain in preparation for a tour in Viet Nam. After his active duty military career he continued to serve his country as a U. S. Army Reserve Dental Officer where he retired as a Lt. Colonel. Francis maintained his private dental practice on North 9th Avenue in Pensacola for eight years. From private practice he went on to become Staff Dentist with the Federal Government. While with the Federal Government he also taught dentistry at the Harvard Dental School and Tufts University, both in Boston, Mass. He ultimately retired from the Department of Corrections Dental Staff in DeFuniak Springs. Francis was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He loved anything mechanical especially automobiles of which he had a collection. He was very humble about his accomplishments. In his words, the true blessing he had received in life was having the perfect son and daughter. His children and grandchildren were the loves of his life. He will be terribly missed by all of his friends and family, but there is no doubt he is in Heaven, probably trying to fix something mechanical that is broken. He is predeceased by his parents and a sister, Joyce Sunderman.

Among survivors are his daughter Nicole Faggioni, his son Tony Faggioni and wife Nataile, His grandsons, Eli, Ethan and Gray who affectionately knew their grandpa as “Harley”, his brother, Ronnie Faggioni and wife Twynette and the mother of his children Karen Sims Solana and husband Terry.

The family will receive local friends and church family in Jerry Evans Chapel Tuesday, March 27, 2012 from 10:00A.M. until 11:00 A.M. It will be a very informal receiving and time of visitation. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 11:45 A.M. in Barrancas National Cemetery with full military honors and with Brother Wilbur Williams officiating. Burial will follow in the National Cemetery.