Mr. Wallace Ervin (Grandad) Farris, 68, died at 11:14 p.m. Thursday at the St. John Medical Center in Tulsa.
The funeral was held at 10 am at the First Baptist Church with Larry Delay, Randall Jones and Dean Bridges officiating. Interment was in the Memorial Park Cemetery at Nowata under the direction of the Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory. Casket escorts included Joshua Florence, Zachary Florence, Toby Farris, Timmy Farris, Levi Farris, Larry Johnston and Eric Cuevas. Honorary casket escorts included Tom Copeland, Jack McWhirt. Douglas (Bucky) Buck, Larry Thomas, Don Burt and Max Kinsch (deceased).

Wallace Ervin (Grandad) Farris was born in Bartlesville on June 6,1941 the son of Ruby Grace (McWhirt) and Harry Wallace Farris. He grew up and received his education in Bartlesville and graduated from College High School in 1960. He attended NEO at Miami for two years , and then attended Oklahoma, State University, at Stillwater where he received a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science degrees in Trade and Industrial Education and Administration.

He was the founder of Farris Heating & Air Conditioning in 1961 and operated it until turning it over to his sons who still operate it. He was employed with Tri-County Tech in 1966 and taught heating and air conditioning for thirteen years. He then became active in administration at Tri-County as the Industrial Coordinator, and was active in administration and fund raising until his retirement after 29 years of service.

He was married to Linda Marie Thomas in Ochelata on July 2, 1966 and was a family man, husband, dad, & Grandad. Mr. Farris was a community leader in both Bartlesville and Nowata, was a longtime wrestling coach of the YMCA, a Board member of the Nowata Boys and Girls Club, #1 Nowata Ironman fan, a Deacon and founder of H.I.S. Life Church of Nowata and a devoted Christian leader, and an avid hunter and fisherman. Literally hundreds of kids in the Tri-County area know him as Grandad Farris, through his faithful support of Nowata football and softball, Bartlesville football, wrestling, Blazer softball, and Caney Valley football and FFA. Mr. Farris is survived by his wife, Linda Marie Farris of Nowata, one daughter, Pamela Gayle Florence

and husband, Bo of Ochelata, two sons, Timothy Dale Farris and wife Lanie, of Nowata and Toby Dean and wife Kristin of Ochelata, one brother, Rollie Farris and his wife Sondra of Oklahoma: City and eleven grandchildren, Josh Florence, Crystal Jones, Shauna Johnston, Mandy Farris, Zachary Florence, Toby Farris, Emily Florence, Jessica Farris, Timmy Farris, Chelsea Farris and Levi Farris, and three great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ruby and Harry Farris.