George Leslie Fenner Jr. ’35

Born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., George also died there on Nov.16, 2001. He prepared for Princeton at Wyoming Seminary, and at Princeton, majored in history and was a member of Whig Hall. Next, he entered the Dickinson School of Law, graduating in 1938.

George then returned to Wilkes-Barre, set up his law practice, and married Hilda Dahl Fletcher. Thereafter, except for three years during WWII, he lived in Wilkes-Barre and became, say friends, "the finest real estate lawyer in the Wyoming Valley area." His knowledge about the local terrain, they recall, enabled him to buy extensive parcels of land that, over time, became very valuable. George was always an avid environmentalist, so it's not surprising that he arranged a deal with the Pennsylvania Wildlands Conservancy that will preserve much of his undeveloped acreage, as well as help support Wilkes U. for many decades. His home and former law office, alongside the campus, have become Fenner Hall.

George's lifelong hobbies — nature photography, hunting and fishing — are local legends. So, too, is his love for gardening, especially for cultivating roses. His survivors include his second wife, Minerva J. Fenner, a sister, Sara Louise Jones, and five nieces.

The Class of 1935