Loretta Farnow

Loretta Lee Farnow, a resident of West Des Moines, Iowa since 1997 died April 23, 2015 of pancreatic cancer at The Taylor House Hospice in Des Moines surrounded by her family. Born in Oklahoma at the height of World War II, her step-father was a career engineer with Ford and she grew up in the Detroit metro during the era of its being the automobile capitol of the world.

She was a proud patriot and after graduating from high school in Wayne, Michigan she joined the United States Air Force and became a medic and laboratory technician with the 807th Medical Group of the Strategic Air Command at March Air Force Base, California. In May, 1964 at March AFB she met her future husband Fred on a blind date and married him ten weeks later. They became best friends and lovers for more than fifty years. In 1968 their son Frederick “Rick” was born and twenty-four years later they became proud grandparents for the first time with the birth of Adam.

Loretta and Fred lived in southern California for several years after they were both honorably discharged from the Air Force. Loretta worked in the Riverside Community Hospital laboratory until they moved to Idaho in 1978, where they established and operated a multi-lines insurance and bonding business until moving to Canada in 1988. In Saskatchewan, Loretta entered the automobile business and learned the business while selling Fords in Regina and helping put her husband through graduate school. Although 100% American, Loretta was justifiably proud of the numerous Canadian Ford awards and certifications she was presented while working in the Canadian auto market. She had the dual distinctions of being both a woman and an American, unique characteristics in the Canadian automobile business at the time.

After returning to the United States she worked in Des Moines, Iowa for Charles Gabus Ford for eight years as their customer relations manager and a sales trainer until she was terminated by Gabus after she suffered a major stroke in 2005. With remarkable spirit and determination, she was able to successfully recover from the initial stroke and a subsequent one two years later. Having experienced first-hand the obstacles encountered by stroke survivors, Loretta spent many hours visiting and encouraging other stroke patients. Her courage and indomitable spirit were comforting examples to others dealing with their own rehabilitations, recovery, and reentrance to their pre-stroke lives and careers. She delighted in telling people she was “an S.O.B” – a “Stubborn Old Broad” who refused to give up. She was also able to encourage and guide new care-givers to help with their loved ones’ recoveries.

Loretta and Fred shared a special bond and a love illustrated perfectly by the words on a framed print in their bedroom on which is written: “I can’t promise you I’ll be there for the rest of your life, but I can promise I’ll love you for the rest of mine.” Her wonderful smile is visible behind every one of those words and is a sentiment echoed by her husband.

Loretta absolutely loved birds, small animals, and wildlife in general. She had a remarkable penchant for attracting and feeding birds, and she was able to accurately identify more species of winged critters than most people even knew existed. Family members always joked that birds had placed a giant “X” on her roof to identify a great place to eat and be welcome – Loretta’s house! Rabbits and squirrels alike gathered and waited for her to appear on her deck, and one could hear them chatter and almost hear them cheer when she arrived to toss tidbits to them in the early morning hours while most people still slept. The birds and other little creatures will also mourn her passing.

She often said that her multi-mission in life was to be the perfect wife, mother, and grandmother, and her husband, son, and grandsons all agree that she was very successful in that endeavor. Grandma loved her family with all her heart, and it was a very big heart capable of forgiving all but the most mean-spirited of earthly creatures.

Loretta abhorred people and businesses that she thought existed for profit at other’s misery and stipulated that she would have no formal visitation or funeral. People who wished to visit her did so when she was alive as she did not intend to be present wearing a waxen pallor in a funeral parlor for their benefits. Her family and close friends will gather privately and remember her disarming smile, unwavering love, and passion for life. As a Vietnam era veteran, her wishes were quite specific that she be cremated in her Air Force dress blues and her cremains be interred in the Iowa Veterans Cemetery with full military honors by “the handsome young guys in the chrome helmets” and a rifle salute followed by Taps. The Air Force will provide an Honor Guard from Offutt Air Force Base and her wishes will be granted.

She is survived by her husband, Frederick in West Des Moines; her son, also Frederick and his wife Julie; grandsons, Adam and Sean, all of Shawnee, Kansas; her dear brother, Walter Ray Jennfeldt and his loving wife Maria of Cape Carteret, NC; and sister, Carlotta Zukonik of Chicago.

And “I’ll love you for the rest of mine - my wife, my love, and my best friend.”

Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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