Farris, Earnest Lonell 1952-2013

FARRIS, SAUNDERS, ANDERSON, SMITH, SALTZMAN

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 6/4/2013 at 11:02:05

Earnest Farris, 61, of Newton, formerly of Knoxville, died Thursday, May 30, 2013, at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.

A funeral service will be at noon Thursday at the Riverside Community Church in Knoxville. Burial with military honors will follow at Graceland Cemetery in Knoxville. There will be a visitation one hour prior to the service at the church.

Williams Funeral Home is handling arrangements. ~ The Newton (IA) Daily News Website.
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Obituary for Earnest Farris
Earnest Lonell Farris was born on February 2, 1952 in Marianna, Arkansas, the son of Florence Saunders and Sammie Farris.

Earnest graduated from Morton High School in Marianna and joined the United States Army in 1970. He served his country during the Vietnam War. He was honorably discharged, earning a Defense Service Medal, Bronze Star, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, a Vietnam Service Medal with Service Star, a Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm and an Overseas Service Bar. After leaving the service, Earnest lived in California and Illinois before settling in Knoxville where he was a well-known resident for 22 years. He was united in marriage to Kimberly Anderson on March 18, 1998. Kim and Earnest moved to Newton in 2009. He had been a member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for many years and more recently had worked as a custodian for the U.S. Postal Service.

Earnest was a member of the American Legion. He enjoyed cooking and fishing. He had a generous heart and the atmosphere around him was always a happy and joyful one. He was his wife’s hero and she thought he was the most wonderful man in the world.

Earnest passed away Thursday, May 30, 2013 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines at the age of 61 years. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Opherevus; brother, Toby; and granddaughter, Rhiana.

Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Kimberly; six stepchildren, Sashawn Smith, Tyisha Anderson, Teyera Saltzman (Trey), Sandell Anderson, Sammy Anderson, and TeAnna Anderson; four sisters, Josie, Gina (Clinton), Denise and Zondrus; two brothers, Maverick and Leon Jr. (Betty); fourteen grandkids; and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, June 6 at noon at the Riverside Community Church in Knoxville with Pastor Bruce Rietveld officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Graceland Cemetery in Knoxville. There will be a visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. ~ The Williams Funeral Home Website, Knoxville, Iowa.