Pat Franklin Tanner, 71, of Piggott died Thursday, March 23, 2006, at the Piggott Community Hospital.

He was born Nov. 18, 1934, in Piggott, the son of the late Robert Celeston and Rosetta Trout Tanner.

He was united in marriage to Neva Joan Vancil on Aug. 25, 1954. They had five children.

He enjoyed attending church at the Methodist church in Piggott and formerly attended the Wilton Center Federated Church in Wilton Center, Ill. He was a member of the AARP and I.A.M.

Mr. Tanner lived in Piggott until 1956 and graduated from Piggott High School. He served in the National Guard and worked at the Carolyn Theatre prior to moving to Joliet, Ill., where he worked for 30 years with Caterpillar as a welder. He retired in January of 1985 and then served as the building manager for the Wilton Center Community Center from 1985-1993.

His hobbies included woodworking, gardening and traveling.

He was preceded in death by one grandson, Thomas John Tanner; one sister, Glenda Tanner; and one brother, Roy Tanner.

He is survived by his wife, Neva Joan Tanner of Piggott; five children, Ricky Tanner and wife, Brenda, of Ottawa, Ill., Joanna Royster and husband, Allen, of Mazon, Ill., Tammy Duggan and husband, Jon, of Aurora, Ill., Patrick Tanner and wife, Kris, of Delphi, Ind., Kelly Eisenhour of Lockport, Ill.; 13 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; four sisters, Mary Bradford, Lois Bradford, Donna Haywood and Virginia Carman; and other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 27, 2006, in the Hoggard and Sons Chapel with Charles Cooper officiating. Burial followed in the Piggott Cemetery. Grandsons served as the active pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Hershal Branson, H.A. Wellman, Bill Warmath and Royce Williams.

Hoggard and Sons Funeral Home of Piggott was in charge of the arrangements.