Jo Ann’s photo app randomly put together the above slideshow. Grama Farris is in most of these photos! Take a look…it is an absolutely incredible slideshow…Grampa Farris would have loved it!
Skating at one of the two Long Beach roller rinks, 17 year old Freda Belle (Saville) Farris first met John Richard Farris Jr. (21). Finding good chemistry, they were soon a couple, dancing to the beat of the big bands playing the southland. What long range plans were they had were altered in the face of Pearl Harbor and they married 11 days later.
A competent typist, Freda applied to Douglas Aircraft, missed orientation day, and started on the assembly line riveting and bucking, tasked composed for two men. Eventually her small size led to inspecting tall cones of the military version of the DC-3.
Freda moved to join her husband when the army air corp assigned him to a training base in Douglas, Arizona. Securing day care for their one and a half year old daughter, Sandra Lee (Chilcote), she picked up her tools and began patching trainer aircraft.
Freda hoped to delay recognition becoming pregnant but x-rays showing twins (Patrick Brent and Michael Kent) resulted in promptly to a ride in a private rail car of possibly General Doolittle, with Sandra amusing their hosts on the way to L.A., practicing perfect table manners.
A true “Baby Boomer,” John Richard Farris (also Jr. followed in ‘46, eventually backed up by Dan Roy in ‘53 and Penny Eileen (Fregeau) helping to bracket the boys in ‘58.
Freda was born on Easter Sunday 1924, the 5th of seven kids, to Leah (Hancock) Saville of Texas and to Iowa born John Roy Saville. The family moved away from Tulsa after the 1919 riot and settled on a southwest Oklahoma farm near Mountain Park.
A Depression, the family splitting up, and the Meningitis Quarantine did hurt, but good friends, the works progress administration and landing in California helped.
In Long Beach, Freda learned to can tuna, chase chickens, drive, paint portraits, and vote. She helped the PTA, scouts, Blue Birds and Bobbi Sox, facilitated swim and music lessons and tutored French. An extended family of relatives and friends went beyond her 23 direct decedents and she loved them all.
Freda entered Doctor’s Hospital on Thursday afternoon with a low oxygen count and Covid-19, and stopped breaking Friday morning, March 3rd, about 10 am.
A short graveside service will be held Friday, March 17, 2023 at Forest Law Cypress, at 10:30 am. Freda was a charter member of the Palo Verde Avenue Christian Church where an 11:00 o’clock service, Saturday March 18 will be held: 2501 Palo Verde Ave in Long Beach.
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| Click above to enlarge Mike’s handwritten biography about Freda Belle Saville Farris |
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