Obituary for Virginia Louise Roark Faris
March 8, 1930-March 18, 2016
On March 18, 2016, Virginia Louise Roark Faris of Weston, Missouri, died at home with her son, Richard William Faris, and her youngest granddaughter, Chloe Pauline Faris, by her side. She was 86 years old.
Virginia was born March 8th, 1930, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She was the second child of Alvan Leslie Roark and Nancy Deaver Staton Roark. After high school which Virginia completed in Oklahoma City, she enrolled in the Methodist-Kahler School of Nursing (later part of Mayo Clinic) in Rochester, Minnesota. Virginia graduated from nurses training in May 1951.
Virginia met her husband, Richard Lyle Faris, in Rochester, Minnesota, and they married on May 27, 1951. From the beginning Virginia said she wanted to have six children and they did -- a child was born approximately every two years from 1953 to 1962. Virginia stayed home with the children until the youngest was three years old. Then she renewed her nursing license and got a job at Bartlett Hospital in Juneau, Alaska. It was always important to Virginia that the children attend Sunday school and church and she sang in the church choir. She had a strong soprano voice and frequently was the soloist in church and at funerals. She loved doing the Messiah at Christmas and made time for choir rehearsals.
Virginia was a skilled registered nurse. She loved working in the maternity ward at hospitals, and she was frequently thanked by first time mothers for her skill. Later when shift work lost its appeal, Virginia became the Weston Family Medical Clinic nurse. She worked for Doctor Felling until he retired, then for Doctor Harvey until 1991 when she retired. She is still remembered by former patients for her compassion and kindness. Over the years Virginia thought it was great fun to travel back to Rochester for class reunions, and to visit her nursing school roommates.
Fertility and love of children must have been in the family genes because all six of Virginia and Richard’s children had children of their own. As grandmother of sixteen, and great-grandmother of ten, Virginia remembered birthdays, attended births and graduations, baked scores of cinnamon rolls, and knitted with enthusiasm. She specially knit baby blankets, hats, and afghans for every family member.
Virginia did not particularly love dairy cows or relish foreign travel which were her husband’s passion. She embraced these projects and many more in partnership with Richard. Virginia’s joy was spending time with her children and friends. The family had big parties and outdoor meals at the farm in the summertime. Virginia liked people and the children returned home from time to time. They brought their friends and children, and later their children’s friends and children. Virginia routinely organized meals and found beds for all who came. She wrote letters and told us how much she loved us, praised our accomplishments, and kept us informed of what the others were doing. She loved to swim. Even in her later years, she could do a fine dive into the pool.
Virginia is pre-ceded in death by her spouse, Richard, sister, Christine Davis, and nephew Stan Davis. She is survived by her six children: Nancy Jo Faris King (husband Brian), Tamra Louise Faris, Ruth Anne Faris Hibarger (husband Walt), Thomas Alvan Faris (wife Mary), Linda Lee Faris Drake (husband Brad), and Richard William Faris; niece Sharon Hardin, Irina Kobzeva-Pavlovic, sixteen grandchildren: Angela Vincent, Sherril Mortensen, Destiny Gmelch, Alissa Smith, Ryan Taylor, Louise Taylor-Thomas, Rio Hibarger, Mariah Hibarger, Ivan Hibarger, Julie Hibarger, Krystal Faris, Kara Faris, Morgan Graham, Raleigh Graham, Hunter Faris, Chloe Faris; and ten great grandchildren: Kevin and Dalyn Vincent; Jordan, Taylor and Hayden Mortensen; Oliver, Caroline and Evelyn Gmelch; Matthew and Henry Smith.
The last year of her life, Virginia was cared for at home by her children and Crossroads Hospice. Her remains will be interred next her husband Richard Lyle Faris at Riverview Cemetery in Arkansas City, Kansas.
A celebration of Virginia’s life will be held April 17 at 2:30 PM at the United Methodist Church at 533 Main Street, Weston, Missouri. A lunch will be provided in the Fellowship Hall in the basement of the church at 1:15 PM prior to the service. All are welcome.
Donations may be made in memory of Virginia to the Weston United Methodist Church. The mailing address is 533 Main Street, Weston, Missouri 64098.
Sunday, April 17, 2016
2:00 PM

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