Obituary, Alice Ann Farra, 83

Alice Ann Farra, 83, of Lincoln, Mont. passed away Feb. 9, 2014 at her home in Lincoln.

Alice was born Jan. 11, 1931 in Jeffersonville, Ill. to Louise (Brunner) Farra and Forest (Buck) Farra. At age six months her parents returned to Montana. She was raised in Harlowton, baptized and confirmed in Trinity Lutheran Church and graduated from Harlowton High School in 1949.

Having an adventurous spirit, she joined the Women's Army Corps. She was stationed in Arizona, Calif. and Japan. After an honorable discharge, she returned to Missoula, Mont. and was employed at Fort Missoula until it closed and she was transferred to Fort Lewis, Wash.

In 1960, she transferred to the Forest Service and moved to Juneau, Alaska. On her off-duty hours she enjoyed playing basketball, volleyball and bowling.

Alice loved the outdoors, hiking, fishing, hunting and picking berries. In the winter she was busy plowing snow for neighbors and at the Lutheran Church. She was also active in her church, teaching Sunday School or whatever was needed. She enjoyed people and made friends quickly, helping anyone in need.

After ten years with the Forest Service, Alice transferred to Auk Bay Lab, working an evening shift, driving school bus during the day and, in winter, plowing snow at the Juneau Community College, Auk Bay Lab, Mendenhall Visitor Center and her church.

After 19 years of civil service work, Alice retired and moved to an isolated area of Southeast Alaska across the water from Petersburg called Point Agassiz. She planted a huge garden which grew to a small farm. Her love of animals was reflected by the number and variety of animals she owned over the years. Alice enjoyed the ten years spent at Point Agassiz hunting, trapping, fishing, caring for her animals and gardening.

In 1983, she was hired by the City of Petersburg to manage newly-built elderly housing, a joy she loved immensely. The tenants were like family and she always had time to listen to their stories or help them with their daily needs. She also brought joy to many Petersburg children who visited "the farm" where she raised small farm animals at the elderly housing.

She started a yard maintenance business to mow lawns for elderly persons living in their homes. Her grand-nephew and friend came up from Montana each summer to mow lawns and, when it rained, to go out on her boat catching salmon and halibut.

The Alaska Region NOAA contacted her to do weather readings for the National Weather Service in Petersburg. She and four tenants were certified to do ten observations each day, seven days a week for eight years.

Alice was always planting trees or flowers around town or helping others with their flower beds. She also landscaped the South Boat Harbor area for the City of Petersburg. She was always there to help with delivering meals to those unable to leave their home, taking the elderly for flu shots, to vote and to church.

In Alaska, Alice received many outstanding performance awards, including the Rotary Community Service Award, Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Beautification of Petersburg Award, NOAA Special Service Award and Federal Aviation Administration Award for outstanding contributions in support of Alaska Aviation.

Alice served on the Youth Center Board and the Museum Board in Petersburg.

In 1994 she decided to retire and move back to Montana. She purchased a five acre weed patch south of Lolo and began another project of beautifying the area. Having no children, she eventually sold her farm in 2000 and moved to Lincoln to be near family.

Alice was a lady of faith, attending church wherever she lived and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with her friends. She was a faithful and valued member of the Blackfoot Valley Bible Church, American Legion Post #9 in Lincoln and the Lincoln Senior Center. Since joining the church, Alice beautified the church grounds with flowers, flowering shrubs, and manicured lawns.

Alice was preceded in death by her mother and father, Louise and Forest Farra, and brother Jim and Leroy Farra.

She is survived by her sisters Frances Owings (Roy) and Linda Stemple (George), all of Missoula; sister-in-law Esther Farrah of Seeley Lake and numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and nephews and great-grand-nieces and nephews.

Alice's remains were interred at the veteran's cemetery in Missoula.