Woodrow Wilson Farley
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October 2, 1914 - October 13, 2011 U.S. Veteran
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Woodrow W. Farley
Woodrow Wilson Farley, the oldest son of Charles C. and Dona (Makings) Farley, was born October 2, 1914 near Fairfax, Missouri. He had five brothers and grew up on a farm five miles southwest of Fairfax in an area known as “Angel Hollow.” He attended Angel Country School and graduated from Corning High School, Corning, Missouri in 1933.
Woody, as he is known to many, began earning a living as a hired hand to various farmers in the community. In 1942, he was drafted in the United States Army and served his country in Germany during World War II. Woody served on the front line as a Litter Bearer; picking up casualties and carrying them to aid stations. In January of 1946, he was discharged as a T-5 Corporal in New Jersey. He returned to Fairfax, and was employed with International Harvester in Tarkio as a mechanic. In the summer of 1946, he met the love of his life; Ruby G. Grubb, and nine months later they were married. They farmed around the Fairfax and Tarkio communities and began raising their family. He then rented a farm outside of College Springs, Iowa, and this is where their last child was born. In 1961, they purchased Woody’s family farm outside of Elmo, Missouri where he continued to live and farm his entire lifetime.
Woody also enjoyed writing poetry. In the 1970’s, Rob and Steve Bragg put his poem “Let Me Remember Forever” to music, the song was registered and has copyrights in Washington D.C. Woody passed away Thursday, October 13, 2011 at his home in Elmo, at the age of 97. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by one son, Marvin Farley, three brothers, Kenneth, Lloyd and Harold Farley. He is survived by his wife, Ruby; son, Glenn Farley and wife, Sally, all of Elmo; daughters, Danee Neely and husband, Ron, Holly Springs, North Carolina, Gail Pennebaker and husband, Tom, also of Elmo; four grandchildren, seven great grandchildren; brothers, Deril Farley and wife, Pearl, Omaha, Nebraska, Donald Farley and wife, Frances, Atlanta, Georgia; sister-in-law, Wilma Farley, St. Joseph, Missouri; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Service: 11:00 am Monday, October 17, 2011, Elmo United Methodist Church, Elmo. | |