Mary M. Farris

Mary “Marie” White Farris was welcomed into heaven on November 10 2013, at the age of 87. She was born January 25, 1926 in Dozier, Texas to Obie White and Lydia Ogletree White. Marie spent her childhood in Quail, Texas. As a young girl she contracted polio, what was then a virtually untreatable disease did not define her or her life. Her father Obie, learned rehabilitation techniques from a “rubbin” doctor and he worked with her religiously to keep her muscles from making her incapacitated. She graduated from Quail High School at age 16. Marie wrote for her classmates at the time of her 50th high school reunion: “After graduating from high school and Dunham’s School of Business Junior College, in Fort Worth, I went ot work at the Amarillo Air Force Base and was there until November 1946, when I transferred to the Bureau of Reclamation, Legal Department. I worked with this bureau, in Amarillo and Santa Fe N.M... I ended my Federal career in Los Alamos, N.M. on November 3, 1982 after having completed 30 years of service. I had a five year break in my federal service in the 50’s, when we lived in Dumas and in Borger Texas. We moved back to Amarillo in 1982. My husband, Dale and I had been married 44 years and 9 months, when he passed away April 1, 1992. I am very grateful for the years we had together. I count my blessings and stay very busy with church activities, my grandsons, reading, crafts, playing golf and traveling. Right now I am scheduled to go to Israel and Egypt on March 23rd and return on April 7th 1993.” Dale and Marie were long time members of San Jacinto Church of Christ. After her beloved husband passed, Marie became a member of the Southwest Church of Christ.

She is survived by her only son Thomas Dale Farris and wife Jeri Jackson Farris of Amarillo; her grandchildren; Paul Farris of San Antonio Tx; David Farris and wife Franciell of Austin Tx; Mark Farris and wife Courtney of Austin Tx; two great grandsons; Gunner and Drake.2 Sisters Jo Helen Cabbell and husband Jim of Amarillo Tx; Geneva Thomas and husband John of Wellington, Texas; brother Harold White and wife Mary Ruth of Hedley Tx; sister-in-law, Rosa White of Wellington, Texas; also by many nieces and nephews who loved their “Aunt Rea”. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dale; three brothers, Welman White and his wife Jeanne, Elvis White and his wife Betty, and P.J. White.

A special thanks from the family to her caregivers at Childers Place, especially Kim, Teal, Constance and Lindsey.

Memorials are requested to be made to High Plains Children’s Home and Family Services, P.O. Box 7448, Amarillo, Texas 79114-9984.