Ray Duane Farrier

Ray Duane Farrier 84, died Wednesday, September 2nd. He always loved animals, and when he was a teenager, would ride his mule, “Mutt” to church each Sunday for 5 miles. He would fall asleep on the way back and Mutt would faithfully carry him home. He was married to his wife Marjorie, for 64 years, after meeting her at a dance in Brighton Iowa. Prior to his marriage, he worked as a floor manager at a roller rink. He was paid in 50 cent pieces, which he used to buy a cedar chest for his soon-to-be bride. He also wore Marjorie’s class ring on the end of his left pinkie finger. That was how he was able to size her wedding ring. After they married, they raised hogs, sheep and cattle in the early years of the marriage. They also grew corn, soybeans and alfalfa. One summer, while recuperating from a tailbone surgery, he noticed a caterpillar parked in front of their property. A construction company was working a job nearby and had left it there. Each day he would go to the equipment and check it out. After several days he declared, “I believe I can run this thing.” Against Marge’s advice, he jumped up on it, started it up, and he said he got motioned to work (Marge disputes his version of this part of the story) but regardless, that was the beginning of his career as an operating engineer. Ray retired from this career in 1995.

They had three daughters. Barbara Edwards (Lee Aubuchon), Christi Cooley (Bob), and Amy Ryland (Errol). The older two were born in Iowa. After being flooded out of their farm, they felt they had to move from Iowa. Marge had a dream of moving to Phoenix, so they moved to Phoenix in 1960 arriving in a car with 2 sick daughters, a dog, $400.00 to their name, and no job or house. He got a job working as an operating engineer and was a member of local union 428. Marge spent many hours looking for homes, dragging the children around in the August heat. After MANY prospects that were rejected by Ray, they finally pulled up in front of their current home. Without even exiting the car, Ray pronounced, “This is our home.”

Ray loved to dance, and with a wife and three daughters, he had plenty of opportunity to do so. The family would go to the German-American Club on Saturday nights to enjoy polka dancing. They even invited the members of the church Youth Group and taught them to polka as well. He also square-danced. However, his daughters’ favorite was to watch him jitterbug with Marge. They were graceful, fluid and completely in-tuned.

He could fix anything! He had a wonderfully mechanically inclined mind. He understood how to fix clocks, car motors, electrical wiring, fencing, soldering. . .pretty much anything!

He loved his family. He would allow his daughters free reign in his “grooming” permitting chest hair curling, nail polishing, and more! Along with his daughters, he “adopted” several teenage boys, some who did not have their own fathers. He took them under his wing, sharing his knowledge of all things mechanical.

His wife was his life. To the end, he would tell her how beautiful she was, and would “wolf-whistle” at her several times a day. He told her often how very grateful to her he was for all the loving care she gave him.

There will be a viewing at 10:00am Wednesday at Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church (8801 N. 43rd Ave. Phoenix, Az 85051), with services following at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, donations made to the Arizona Humane Society or the Christ the Redeemer Braille ministry would be welcome.