Eyvind Marcus Faye Jr.

1932 - 2022

Knights Landing bids farewell to beloved farmer and musician, Eyvind M. (Marc) Faye, Jr., who died June 15, 2022, after a brief illness in the Woodland Memorial Hospital near his home at the Eldorado Ranch, Knights Landing, CA. He was ninety. Marc was born March 12, 1932 in Woodland CA, into the tradition of family farming. The second son of Eyvind and Emiline Faye, they operated the Eldorado farm started in 1917 by Marc's grandfather, Hans Peter Faye. In 1939, the family joined the larger Faye clan in Hawaii to work in the sugar industry when the depression of the 1930's and World War II altered the course of their lives. Following the end of the war in 1946, Marc's father was able to purchase the Eldorado Ranch from the Hawaiian Faye family and the Eldorado farming tradition continued. After finishing high school at the Choate School in Connecticut, Marc attended Stanford University, graduating in 1954 with a degree in Psychology, followed by two years in the Air Force. After earning a BS in Agricultural Economics at UC Davis in 1958, Marc began farming full-time. Having received his first farm paycheck at age fourteen, he now received them regularly for the rest of his life. As a young farmer he was also a member of Class 3 (1973) of the newly formed California Agricultural Leadership Program. He married Gerda Fruchtenicht in 1960, and they made their first home in Winters, CA where the family had purchased property that included prunes, walnuts, and almonds. In 1977 they built their present home on the Eldorado Ranch where the family focused on pears, prunes, walnuts, pistachios, wheat, and rice. During his 64 years of farming, Marc served on numerous agricultural related boards of directors including Yolo County Farm Bureau, California Marketing Orders, UCD Advisory Councils, California Pear Growers, Pacific Coast Producers, Sunsweet Growers, Diamond Walnut Growers, Davis Certified Farmers Market, Nor-Cal Growers Labor Council and the Yolo County Farm Supply. He served for two years as a California Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and nine years on the State Reclamation Board as well as 10 years on the Sacramento River Forum and the board of Reclamation District 787. His community service included the Winters Joint Unified School Board, Boy Scouts of America, Friends of Yolo County Archives, Rotary Club of Woodland, the American Red Cross, and activities with the Gibson House Museum. Marc lived a life of creativity and music. He collected spare metal parts from old farm equipment and tools and built unique sculptures placed throughout the Eldorado property. Rotarians were often gifted with delightful parody songs played for meaningful events. His love of music was best on display with his lifetime folk and bluegrass band, the Putah Creek Crawdads. Started in the early 60s, Marc sang and played the upright bass with a collection of dear friends, providing years of entertainment to the community. Marc leaves wife, Gerda (Fruchtenicht) Faye; sons, Eric (Melissa) and Olen; and three grandchildren, Ryan Faye, Ethan Faye and Keira Faye; and his sister, Elizabeth Semichy (Bob). His brother, H. P. Faye II and sister-in-law, Marilyn Faye, preceded him in death. At Marc's request, there will only be a private family gathering to scatter his ashes.
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