Ethie P. Farmer

ERIE — Ethie P. Farmer, 86, of Erie, a former Parsons resident, died at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 2, 2013, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. She had been in failing health.

She was born on Jan. 29, 1927, at Erie to Manford and Cora (Ratliff) Bonine. She attended Erie schools and graduated from Erie High School in 1944. While in high school, she worked at Glasner Produce, for Dr. E.C. Bryan and for R.B. Smith, attorney at law. She moved to Parsons in 1945 with her mother.

She married Albert E. Farmer on March 24, 1946, at the Erie Christian Church parsonage. They later divorced. They then reunited in marriage on June 17, 1953, at Central Avenue Christian Church in Parsons. He preceded her in death on Aug. 17, 2000.

She was employed for 30 years at Kress Co., at Fred Ronald Manufacturing for two years, at Broderick Co. as a credit coordinator for eight years and at Stevens Fabric Care for eight years before retiring in 1995.

She was a member of First Christian Church, where she served as financial secretary and participated in Disciples Women’s Group. She also was a member of Senior Citizens Organization of Parsons and AARP. She had recently attended Galesburg Christian Church.

She collected thimbles and bells. She enjoyed her family, scrapbooking, sewing, crafts, quilting and playing Mexican train dominos with her family and at the senior center.

She is survived by five grandchildren, Tracy Brownewell and her fiance, Randy Barton, of Leawood, Mo., Craig Brownewell of Lebanon, Mo., Tiffany Yarnell and her husband, Kevin, of Erie, Kevin Brownewell, and his wife, Nikki, of Parsons and Sean Howard of Parsons; 13 great-grandchildren, Rebekah Brownewell, Craig Brownewell Jr., Haley Brownewell, Kinzie Brownewell, Ashlyn Brownewell, Hunter Brownewell, Shelby Brownewell, Erin Barton, Sydney Proffitt, Trevor Yarnell, Brayden Yarnell, Ethan Yarnell and Caleb Yarnell; numerous nieces and nephews; and a host of cousins.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Jone Howard, on July 19, 1990; five brothers; and three sisters.

The service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Parsons. Burial will follow in Memorial Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to First Christian Church, Galesburg Christian Church or American Cancer Society and may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, 112 N. 26th St., P.O. Box 942, Parsons, 67357.

Online condolences may be left at www.wallfuneralservices.com.