Allan Farber

Allan Farber

Allan Farber Allan Andrew Farber, age 82, of Papillion, NE, formerly of Walnut Grove, passed away Sunday, August 30, 2015 at the Huntington Park Care Center with family by his side. Memorial services will be at 3:00 p.m. Friday, September 4 at the English Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove. Visitation is 12:00 noon Friday until the time of services. Burial is in Walnut Grove Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com. Stephens Funeral Service – Walnut Grove Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Allan Andrew Farber was born, August 8, 1933 on the Farber farm, 2 miles west of Walnut Grove, MN to Andrew August and Hazel Mae (Harriman) Farber. He was baptized as an adult at United Methodist Church in Walnut Grove. Allan, otherwise known as Big Al, graduated from Walnut Grove High School in 1951 as a great student and a multisport athlete. He attended South Dakota State College (SDSC) in the fall of 1951 to study agriculture and play college football. His 1st stint in college was short lived as he had to return home before completing the first quarter of college to help with the farm due to the untimely passing of his brother, Howard, in October of that year.

In the fall of 1952, before being drafted into the Army, Allan was introduced to boxing by a Golden Gloves coach from Pipestone. Al boxed for a year where he competed in Golden Gloves bouts. It was on the WGHS stage while training, when he first met Marilyn Pieper, a 1st grade teacher. Although Al was a good boxer, it was Marilyn who apparently “knocked” his socks off, setting the stage for the rest of their lives. Allan started dating Marilyn in the summer of 1953.

In January of 1953, he reenrolled at SDSC playing freshman basketball, but that was cut short because he was drafted into the Army due to the Korean War. He entered basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri but not before getting engaged to Marilyn on his birthday, August 8. While on leave, Allan and Marilyn were married on January 30, 1954. In April of 1954, Al was assigned to Fort Belvoir, VA where he received his Engineering Certificate of Proficiency and finished as one of the top in his class. In July of ’54, Allan was reassigned to Germany where he was part of the Engineer Battalion and again played football.  Allan was a gifted letter writer. He wrote every week, if not every day to his mom & dad and Marilyn. He would keep the family posted on what he was doing, and the activities he was involved in. He returned from Germany and left the Army in the summer of 1955 to start farming with his dad and worked as a mechanic part-time at the Walnut Grove Airport.

Over the next 13 years, Al and Marilyn had 6 children. Because of the challenges of making a living at farming in the 1960’s, Al took on a part time post office clerk job, to supplement the farm income. This led to a full time rural mail carrier position in 1972 with the Walnut Grove Post Office. He farmed until his sons went to college. He raised livestock and did the mail route until he retired in 1995. Although Al worked extremely hard providing for his family, he never missed opportunities to be involved in his children’s lives; whether it was watching them in their sporting events, performing in their music activities and plays, or visiting their kids wherever they lived.

Al was very active over the years, always participating and giving back to the community he so loved. His community activities included the American Legion and Honor Guard, the “Shetek Plainsmen” Barbershop Chorus, Lions Club, the WG school board, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant Committee and the English Lutheran Church Council and Sunday school. His hobbies were bowling, church choir, dancing, hunting and fishing, card club, wood working, gardening, traveling and community plays. He had a special passion for the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant, where he was best known for portraying Mr. Kennedy, who climbed up the steeple, raised the cross, and placed it, praising God with a fist in the air as a sign the community was now complete. He was dedicated and committed to the pageant from the beginning, even renting his Plum Creek land to the pageant since 1979; where the world famous production has been held ever since. Al retired from the pageant after Alzheimer’s started robbing him of his memory. Al always loved to smile and tell jokes. He was always known for his witty personality and his “eye-rolling” one liners. Al loved to laugh and make others laugh as well. He is the epitome of the phrase you see so often, “Live well, Laugh often, Love much”.

Grateful for having shared his life are his 6 children; Jeff (Sue) of Walnut Grove, MN; Tom (Lori) of Britton, SD; Brad (Nadine) of Bruce, SD; Bret of Watertown, SD; Louise (David) Dornbusch of Papillion, NE; and Amy Farber Knowles of Cedar Park, TX; 18 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren and sister, Betty Bannick of Walnut Grove, MN. Preceding him in death were his parents, his brothers William, Maurice, and Howard, and his wife Marilyn. Al was loved greatly by his family and friends. Blessed be his memory. May his legacy live on!

 

 

15 thoughts on “Allan Farber”

  1. To the Farber Family,
    My thoughts are with you during this difficult and sad time. No doubt, you will be sharing memories of your dad (and mother) over the next few days with many people. It’s sure to put a smile on your faces. When I think of Al, I think of the PO, his involvement with the Legion and how friendly he was whenever we met. Peace to all of you!
    Maureen Wiecks

  2. I’m so sorry to hear of the loss of your father, Louise. That is a beautiful obituary. Hang in there.

    Much love to all.

    Tamie

  3. Jane (Marten) Ruud

    Dear Farber family – My deepest sympathies to you in the passing of your dad. I remember coming to Walnut Grove with Sharon, so many years ago, for the Pageant. What a wonderful time we had. May God’s peace comfort you. Jane

  4. Summer (Anderson) Bielke

    My sincerest sympathies to the Farber family. I loved waving to Al when he delivered our mail and seeing him in church and working with him in the Pageant. He was a delightful spirit who gave off an enormous amount of joy and energy. He will be missed!

  5. Luana (Jacobs) Van Maanen

    Farber Family,
    Whenever I visited my mom, Gloria, I got to say hello to your folks just down the hall. They had wonderful times working at the pageant, at English Lutheran, and in their later years at the apartments. May God grant you peace in this time of loss knowing your parents are reunited complete and free from this life. May your family find many reasons to laugh, to smile, and to be joyful despite your grief.

  6. Jon and Lynn Knott

    Tom & Lori & the Farber family…….. Just want you to know you are in our thoughts and prayers on this most difficult time. God bless you all……….

  7. Ron and Berta Bakken

    To all the Farber kids: Our sincere sympathy at the loss of your dad. We spent many exciting, enjoyable and sometimes nerve wracking hours with Al over the years. I even spent a couple seasons as his wife Margaret. All good memories of a man we called “friend. Cherish your memories of Al and Marilyn. Ron and Berta Bakken

  8. Beautifully written. My thoughts are with you. Although death is expected, it’s the emotions that wash over us for years to come that are unexpected. With grace I choose to remember the Farber Brother’s twinkle in their eyes and the quirky smile when they did their “one-liners.”

    Blessings to all of you.

  9. Al and Marilyn were a great couple and great friends to my mom and dad, and our families were good friends with each other. Lots of fond memories. God bless them and grant courage and peace to all the family.

  10. Bob & Jean Heggerston

    Farber Family, Sincere sympathy to all the Farber Family. Al was a strong force in everything that he was involved with in the community. That type of commitment is rare! Thoughts and prayers go out to you ALL. God Bless

  11. We were so saddened to hear of Al’s passing. Dennis had many fond memories of Al while on adjoining farms back in high school. We both were so pleased when Al and Marilyn took time to pay us a surprise visit in Honolulu, Hawaii when we were stationed there in the 1970’s. I still chuckle when recalling the tale Al related on how he began playing football for the army. The army didn’t have a shoe size to fit him and he was still wearing civilian shoes. Seeing the football team playing across the street, he walked over and asked the coach if they could use another player, while bending down to get through the door! Needless to say, he was signed up immediately. Our thoughts are with their family. Dennis and Sharon Rossing

  12. Bernadine Schnormeier Starken

    I knew Al while attending Walnut Grove High School. He was the only guy who I dated on a Sunday afternoon.
    We would go to a matinee movie in Tracy and just before chore time he would leave me with a kiss which was very resque’a to be kissing in the day time. Fond memories of a very sweet man. Sincere sympathy, Bernadine Starken

  13. Amy and Family,
    My condolences to you and your family. Your parents were both great people! Alzheimers is such a horrible disease, my Mom lost her second husband to it also. They were loved by a lot of people. May God be with you and that you find solace in your good memories.
    Dan Peterson

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