Lillian Diehl Farrar

She was predeceased by her husband, Otis Gordon Farrar, Jr, her sisters, Edith, Nellie, Janet, Ruth, Wanda and Ina, her brother, Warren, and her great-granddaughter, Elliana Lindegren.

She is survived by her son, Daniel Mackenzie Campbell Odell, Sr (Patricia Ingram); grandchildren: Shannon Mackenzie Lindegren (Jason), Hayley Mackenzie Simoneau (Joel), Ashley Elizabeth Mackenzie Wheelon (Grant), Daniel Mackenzie Campbell Odell, Jr (Tara); great-grandchildren: Elijah, Levi, Melissa, Seth, and Andrew Lindegren; Madelyn, Susannah, Bria, Rebekah, and Emily Simoneau; Layla, Rachel, Elizabeth, and Wyatt Wheelon; Dorothy, Daniel, and Penelope Odell; as well as nieces, nephews and cousins.

Lillian (Lee) graduated from Waynesboro High School in 1947, and from Stuart Circle Hospital School of Nursing in Richmond, VA, in 1950. She was an RN with the Instructive Visiting Nurses Association in Richmond until moving to Chapel Hill, NC, to attend the University of North Carolina, graduating in 1958 with a BS in Public Health Nursing. She returned to Richmond and served as a school nurse in the Richmond Public Schools and received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the Richmond Professional Institute (now VCU) in 1964. Until her retirement in 1994, she was a social worker in the Richmond Public Schools, focusing on students with poor attendance records. She faithfully visited their homes to instruct and encourage their parents on the value of education and vocational training, often arranging to meet the specific needs of disadvantaged students. She also identified students with exceptional potential and encouraged advanced education, applying for grants to ensure they had that opportunity. A lifelong student and a firm believer in the value of education, she established a trust to that end for her great-grandchildren, a fitting legacy for one who outlived her seven siblings, most of her nursing school classmates, and many close friends.

She attended Presbyterian churches from her childhood (New Hope Presbyterian Church, New Hope, VA) until she went home to Jesus while a member of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, April 5, at 12:30 pm at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church with visitation preceding at 11:45 am. A graveside service will be conducted at 2:00 pm at Westhampton Memorial & Cremation Park, 10000 Patterson Avenue, Richmond, VA 23238.

Donations may be made to Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund or Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Some personal memories:

“Grandmother frequently reminded me that I was her very first grandchild. She always said it with joy in her eyes and a smile on her face, and she was always good at making all of us grandchildren feel special when we were with her. I have the fondest memories of trips to King's Dominion and the beach, walks in the park, and trips to museums. Ok, so maybe I didn't really enjoy the museums, but Grandmother definitely did, and she gave me an appreciation for them. When I was about 10, Grandmother decided that the color I looked best in was forest green. Forest green. What pre-teen wants to wear forest green? I remember every Christmas for years, she'd give me clothes that were forest green. I smiled, said thank you so much, and thought quietly how wrong she was about my best color. Of course, years later, now I know - she was right! Grandmother was never hesitant to speak her mind, share her opinion, or give advice. Many times unsolicited, and sometimes unwanted, but most times... her words made me think. Her words made me consider if perhaps I might need to rethink things. She was a precious lady, and I'm so thankful she was my Grandmother. I look forward to the day I will see her again in Glory.”

“The three things I remember with the most joy about being with Grandmother, especially as a child, are baking blueberry muffins with her for breakfast, the walks we would take on the Cheswick Park activity trail near her house, and our outings to Kings Dominion. I know she loved us well, and I miss her.”

“The first time I ever drove a car was with Grandmother and OG. They’d let me sit in the middle of the long bench seat when I could barely see over the dashboard and reach my hands over until they were wrapped firmly around the steering wheel. Grandmother would take her foot off the gas, letting the car slow to a crawl, and give me complete control. At the time, I remember loving doing such a grown-up thing. Looking back, I wonder if she knew how much more she was teaching me, if maybe that was on purpose. She taught me that the car would follow my lead and turn whichever way I steered, knowing that my life would follow suit – that whenever I make choices, consequences are sure to follow. She celebrated with me when those consequences were beautiful blessings, she offered her firm opinion when those consequences were less than ideal, and she reminded me often that we can trust God while we’re waiting for those consequences to pan out and we’re just not sure what things will look like. When she let me take the wheel, she was confident in me, knowing that I could handle the responsibility of driving (albeit under her watchful eye) and encouraging me to try something new because learning is half the fun. To this day, I like to learn to new skills. Between the confidence Grandmother helped instill in me and Google, I’m usually fairly certain that I can manage most tasks. For better or worse, I’ll jump right into just about any project and try to learn how to do it on my own. Which is another lesson she taught me – independence. Thankfully, like Grandmother, I have a loving husband who is always happy to lend a hand and carry the weight with me. But he’s also one of my biggest cheerleaders, letting me know my independence is something he loves about me. There are memories that I’ll always have. Going to the park near her house and walking the trails when I was young, looking for fairy houses in the trees. Spending a hot summer day at King’s Dominion, riding as many roller coasters as we could. Catching fireflies and playing badminton in her backyard. Sneaking peppermint patties and M&Ms from the not-so-secret hiding place in the downstairs closet in her house. The ham rolls she and OG served at their Christmas party. Climbing into her bed in the mornings in pjs, asking her to tell us stories about her life. Taking my own children to meet her and spend time on her screened in back porch. Visiting every museum we could find. Shopping trips where she decided what we needed and what looked best. Dessert for breakfast, although OG might be more to thank for that.”

“She was full of life. She always had an opinion. She changed her mind, often. She adored our dad. She loved us well.”