Kathleen Johnson Farris, age 91, of Carrizo Springs, TX, passed away
peacefully in her sleep on August 28, 2023, in Amarillo, TX. She was born on September 4, 1931, in San Antonio, TX. Kathleen was a loving wife, devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her conversations always revolved around her family, of which she was immensely proud.
A pillar of the Carrizo Springs, TX, community, Kathleen devoted over three decades of her life to educating generations of the town’s children, first in the classroom and eventually as an administrator.
She was a pioneer in procuring and implementing the use of computers in the public school district, a move that also cultivated her lifelong passion for Microsoft’s 3-card Solitaire.
Known as “Nini” to her family, Kathleen was renowned for her homemaking prowess. Birthdays, holidays, and joyful homecomings were made all the more special by her stewardship of tradition and warm, generous hospitality.
Among her most requested dishes were Thanksgiving stuffing, Spam salad, classic American meatloaf, salmon patties, Jello with fruit salad suspended inside, traditional Sunday roasts, and her epic Saturday morning breakfasts. A fresh pot of coffee was never more than 10 minutes away regardless of the hour.
An avid fan of crossword puzzles and “Murder, She Wrote,” Kathleen often joked that reruns seemed new in her later years because neither she nor her husband, Tom, could remember how each caper was previously solved.
She is preceded in death by her husband, David “Tom” Farris, and her beloved animal companions, Sally (corgi) and Charlie (semi-feral cat).
Kathleen is survived by her sister, Martha (Wendel) Condry; daughters, Donna (Stan) Tollett, Diane (Jim) Condry, and Debra (Edmund) Gates; grandchildren, Stanley Tollett (Jessica Lazar), Kimberly Tollett Horton, Matt (Katherine) Lackey, Lena (Mark) Lindner, Scott (Sapna) Lackey; and great-grandchildren, Quinn and Tessa Horton, Archie and Reyna Lackey, and Charlie and Reese Lackey. Kathleen will also be fondly remembered by her nieces and nephews, as well as their children and grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, September 2, 2023 at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Carrizo Springs, TX, to honor Kathleen’s life.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to the First United Methodist Church of Carrizo Springs, TX, in memory of Kathleen.
Kathleen’s devout faith was a cornerstone of her life. She raised her children and grandchildren in the church, instilling in them a strong appreciation for the classical tenets of Methodist Christian thought. There is little doubt that Kathleen is resting peacefully with the angels.
May her compassionate soul rest in peace and may her memory be a blessing to all who knew and loved her.
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