This reflection is a collaboration from all of our family about the life of Joe Farrell. Thank you for being here today to celebrate the life of our father. It was only 20 months ago that many of you were here to celebrate the life of our mother. Joe tried to live a life after mom, but the years had taken their toll on his body, and his spirit was never the same after his wife of 63 years was “beamed up” to heaven. Win and Joe Farrell had a great love affair and a legacy of 7 children, 21 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.
Joe Farrell received his Ph.D. from Cornell soon after they were married, his Masters from MIT and his BS from ND, all in chemical engineering, He took the professional engineering or PE exam for Ohio when he was over 60 just to get that Ohio certification and achieved the highest score in the state. Yes he was brilliant, but he never told you about his degrees, esteemed papers, and other accomplishments. He wrote key sections to regulations for the EPA regarding municipal wastewater that still stand today. These regulations are the prime reason our rivers and lakes are now safe and clean in the US.
Dad’s work for the environment has made a positive impact on the entire world, but it is the life he led every day, the man he was, the patriarch of our family, the husband, the father, the grandfather, great grandfather and friend to us that he knew mattered most. He was the keeper of memories, the lead singer at family gatherings, the cake cutter, the joke teller, the raconteur, and our hero. He did not live in the past, but he told vivid and engaging stories about his childhood experiences and stories about our ancestors, including the infamous Ned Buntline, the “Great Rascal”, who was the king of the dime novel (the antecedent to the modern paperback novel) and who made Buffalo Bill famous. Dad was there for us when we needed him the most, in our darkest hour or our most joyful time; he was there on the dance floor or at our bedside.
Dad had a curiosity about life that kept him always searching to learn more …It was part of living the conscious life every day, every moment, being there. He loved poetry, music and nature and always kept current with world events. He was a true Renaissance Man that you could talk with about any topic and ask any question – he was incredibly well rounded – a real balance of the left and right brain.
On the family trips we got to see Dad, the adventurer…starting with his creativity about using a child’s play pen as a luggage carrier or making is own wooden box for the rooftop, – it did not look pretty, but it was effective. He would take on some academic assignment in the summer so that seven kids could have a vacation. We spent a summer in the UP of Michigan, a summer in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and a trip across the country to summer in Lake Tahoe, California. Seven kids, a station wagon pulling a camper, Chevy Chase’s trip across country was nothing compared to ours. Dad’scuriosity was never sated. He wanted to learn and have us learn from every mile on the trip. Never go the same way twice was his motto; so we found ourselves going new ways or out of our way to see the various sites on every trip. We never set any speed records, but we learned to enjoy the trip rather than just the destination.
An important part of Dad’s zest for life was a passion for exercise. He started running every day way before it was fashionable and quit when he turned 79 because his knee hurt. He swam, biked, played tennis, was a boxing champion in college, camped, hiked, sailed the Carribean, and owned a canoe and kayak before everyone else caught on. He loved taking a walk in the woods in new places either by himself or with others, but until he started using a GPS he was never sure how he would get back, but he always did.
He retired from EPA at the mandatory retirement age of 75, and he began to consult to assist the wastewater industry implement the new standards to keep our water clean. He spent some time at home now and volunteered to help with the peanut butter ministry for OTR and other ministries at Guardian Angels. He also found time to chair the Health Effects committee for the Fernald nuclear production facility cleanup, and participate in his favorite volunteer experience, mentoring and tutoring high school students at Purcell Marian in math and science.
He loved these at risk high school students, and they loved him. He also loved working together with fellow engineer and tutor, Ron Yates. Dad took many trips a year in the US and throughout the world with adult friends and family and chronicled many of them in journals, but he mostly enjoyed the time with friends from Guardian Angels participating in prayer groups, ministries or just having fun on their annual boat trip to Cumberland.
To keep up with friends at Christmas, Dad would author the family letters and with mom’s help tell of the annual happenings. He always ended the letters with how much he loved his family and friends. He prayed every night for his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, reciting each of their names until he fell asleep. As the years went on, I’m sure it was like counting sheep, but he said that he frequently made it through the whole list.
His last months after mom’s death were difficult. Life had become a struggle. He did what he was supposed to, went to the doctors, read until his eyes failed then with help from material from the Blind Association he listened to books on tape and read with the help of magnifying devices. He finally began watching TV on a large screen but only documentaries on topics from astrophysics to all topics in history and nature. He attended Sunday mass and took daily communion from the wonderful parishioners of GA. Family and other wonderful helpers got him through the days and at the end, the nights. It seemed as if he knew the time was coming close, and hewanted to die with awareness and dignity. He did just that, learning one more thing, how to die. His mind stayed with him until the end, still letting us know the best way to do things even in his last days. In his last moments,a hawk landed on one of the branches of the trees in the backyard which was extremely unusual for our house, and as Dad passed on to a “new” life, the hawk flew up to the sky. Surrounded by loved ones he joined mom and the rest of his family and friends - we will miss you, Dad, but it was a life well lived. You are with God, oh wise and humble servant. We will love you until the day after forever.
Special thanks to all of the Guardian Angels family who helped Dad through the last months and special thanks and the eternal gratitude of the Farrell family to Linda Parker who helped Dad daily as she also had helped our mother – Linda has been such a blessing to our family – a true gift from God, just when we needed her the most.
--spoken by Bob Farrell at memorial mass
--spoken by Bob Farrell at memorial mass
FARRELL