Vern Leslie Farrow

Vern Leslie Farrow, age 87, of La Grande, died Sunday, August 8, 2010 at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise, Idaho. At his request there will only be a private graveside service with family. To sign the on-line guestbook visit www.danielsknopp.com.


Vern was born on May 30, 1923 in Seattle, Washington to Eugene Duane Farrow and Julia Catherine Loomis Farrow. He graduated from Franklin High School in Seattle in 1941. He enlisted for pilot training in the United States Army Air Corps in 1942 and flew 32 combat missions with the 7th Photo Reconnaissance Group of the 8th USAAF in England and France through VE Day. He remained in the German occupation and was discharged with the rank of Captain in 1947. Later he served two years in the Alaskan Air Command at Ladd AFB in Fairbanks, Alaska during the Korean War. Vern earned Bachelor and Masters degrees at Seattle University and an Ed.D. degree from the University of Oregon. He taught at both Western Michigan University and the University of Oregon before coming to La Grande, Oregon as principal of the Ackerman Laboratory School and faculty member at Eastern Oregon State College (now Eastern Oregon University) in 1976. He completed a thirty-two year career in the field of Education and retired in 1988. During years of teaching he was active in many professional, fraternal and military organizations including the National Education Association, Phi Delta Kappa, the 8th Air Force Historical Society and American Legion.


Vern and his beloved wife, Ruth Harer Farrow, met while they both were assigned to the Headquarters of the European Air Transport Service in Wiesbaden, Germany in 1946. They were married on August 23, 1947 in Seattle, Washington. Vern and Ruth shared much travel and were avid flyers having made many extensive cross-country flights throughout the United States in their own airplane.


Survivors include his wife, Ruth of La Grande; daughters, Penny Susan Daniels of Meridian, Mississippi and Eugenie Denise Espinoza of Hesperia, California; four grandchildren and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents a daughter, Leslie Diane Farrow and a granddaughter.

.