William Faris Obituary

William Wallace Faris

William Wallace Faris was born a child of God on December 3, in the year of our Lord 1916 in Beebe, Arkansas, and passed away in Warren, Arkansas on October 31, 2013, at the age of 96. He was a man of God, a man of faith, who was devoted to his Lord, his family, his church and a humble servant of all.

Wallace Faris grew up in Anna, Illinois, where he was raised after the death of his parents by his Aunt Marion Faris Wiley and Uncle Charlie Wiley. He attended Georgetown University, Blackburn College and graduated from Princeton University, from the Woodrow Wilson School of Political Science and International Affairs. After working one year in Nebraska, he felt called into pastoral ministry; he attended McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated first in his class in 1943 with a Masters in Divinity.

On November 15, 1942, he married his beloved wife Elizabeth Johnson Faris, and they were married for 57 years. Immediately after graduating from McCormick Seminary, he went into the Navy. He served as a Lieutenant in World War II as a Navy chaplain, serving in conjunction with the U.S. Marine Corps. During the war, he was first stationed in Key West Florida, then in the Pacific in the Cayman islands, Peleliu, Saipan and Guadacanal.

After the war, Wallace and Elizabeth served together in pastoring a number of churches: First Presbyterian Churches of Pittsburg, Kansas and Port Arthur, Texas, Trinity Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas, Central Presbyterian Church in Abilene, Texas, and First Presbyterian Church in Claremore, Oklahoma. After their retirement to Austin, Texas in 1980, they continued to serve faithfully as interim pastors at St. John's Presbyterian Church and St. Paul's Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas. During his ministry, he received an honorary doctorate from Blackburn University, and was moderator of the Synod of the Sun of the Presbyterian Church of Texas. He was also a life-long member of Rotary International Service Club and was an honorary Rotarian member in Warren, Arkansas.

He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Elizabeth Josephine Johnson Faris, his parents Philip Melancthon Faris and Vivian Hannah Faris, a younger brother Paul Thomson Faris, and an infant daughter. He is survived by two sons Samuel Wallace Faris of Republic, Missouri and Philip Adams Faris and his wife Linda of Warren, Arkansas; and three granddaughters, Jennifer Christine Faris Schaefer and husband Paul of Marionville, Missouri, Janice Elizabeth Faris Hamrick and husband Kasey of Columbia, South Carolina, and Julie Diane Faris Mobley and husband Aaron of Denver, Colorado; and four great-grandchildren, Caleb Alan Schaefer, Micah Wallace Schaefer, Josiah Robert Schaefer, and Sarah Elizabeth Schaefer all of Marionville, Missouri.

A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church Warren, Arkansas at 4 pm on Sunday, November 3, 2013, with a reception following. Reverend Philip A. Faris will be officiating. A private burial will be held at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wycliffe Bible Translators, with a note stating "for the ministry of Paul and Jennifer Schaefer", P.O. Box 628200, Orlando, Florida, 32862-8200 or to First Presbyterian Church, 212 E. Church St. Warren, Arkansas, 71671.

Published by The News Star on Nov. 2, 2013.
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Our most sincere sympathy to all of Bro. Wallace's family . We were truly blessed to know him and to have him lead us in worship here at Rock Springs Presbyterian church in Mt. Hope .A humble man of God , beloved by all .

Nancy Kimbrough

November 9, 2013

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