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Obituary- Mary Alice Faris

    Heaven welcomed a special angel, Mary Alice Faris, on December 22, 2010.  Born in Gardner, CO on April 15, 1925 to Jonah Jennings (Jean) and Susan Chandler (Channie) Frasher she spent her childhood in the company of her older brother Howard, her parents, grandmother, and various animal playmates.  She attended school in Gardner but before graduating married the love of her life Joe Edward Faris.  They spent 62 years together raising their 7 children, numerous nieces and nephews, and many orphaned calves.  Joe Edward proceeded her in death in 2003.

       Mary Alice was a true pioneer who enjoyed a life full of adventure, challenge, and courage.  She was a classy, one of a kind lady with a great sense of style and attention to detail.  Mary had a pure heart and a genuine love of humanity and lived by the golden rule.  She never knew a stranger and welcomed many people to her business, her home and her table.   Her fabulous cooking was enjoyed by thousands.

      A naturalist and a conservationist with the utmost respect for mother nature, she wasted not a day to be productive nor a chance to recycle.  She was curious and always eager to learn, teach, and lead by example.  Mary was a perfectionist who expected a lot of herself and encouraged others to do their best.    Her energy was phenomenal as was her ability to make everyone she met feel special.  She had a fine mind and was a smart business woman, instrumental in the success of the Marlboro Inn and Faris Land & Cattle where she worked until she was 84.  Her wonderful life was filled with many accomplishments, most recently being named Huerfano County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the year for 2009.  Mary Alice had a sharp memory and enjoyed recalling the local history on her many drives around Huerfano County.

        She enjoyed her family, cooking, gardening, gambling, turquoise jewelry, and doing crossword puzzles in ink.  Her final summer was spent harvesting the fruit from the trees that sprouted in her compost pile and writing a cookbook with her daughters. 

       Mary Alice spent the last 10 months in her home under the care of her family and the Sangre de Cristo hospice.  They made her final days pleasant, pain free, and peaceful, and she was very grateful for their care, friendship and the sunshine they brought into her life.  She will be missed by the many whose lives she touched especially her large family, children Joy Faris, Ray (Diann) Faris, Gay (Dave) Farmer, Jann (Tom) Vail, Edna (Randy) Dust, Andy Faris, Nick Faris; 15 grandchildren; and 17 great grandchildren, all of whom loved her dearly and will treasure the memories created with her. 

     A private service will be held at a later date to celebrate her life.  Mary Alice donated her body to science, and her family is planning a Memorial Garden in remembrance of her.  The community will be invited to participate.

       In lieu of flowers donations may be made to one of the causes she believed in and supported: Sangre de Cristo Hospice, the Fox Theater, Dorcas Circle, or the Spanish Peaks Library.

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