Jim "J.J." Farley

Jim "J.J." Farley, was born in Columbus, Kan., on Nov. 16, 1944, to Joseph W. and Josephine Adamson Farley. He passed away on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009. His family moved to Pittsburg, Kan., when he was a small child.

He grew up in Pittsburg, graduated high school and attended Kansas State Teacher's College of Pittsburg, where he received his bachelor's degree in secondary education while completing the ROTC program and receiving his officers' commission, in preparation for military service in the U.S. Army.

During college he was a member of the Scabbard and Blade Society. He began a lifelong fascination with hot rods during this time, running the starting lights at Mo-Kan dragway, in PIttsburg, which he would continue to do for the next few years. Jim was a member of the American Legion.

He met his wife, Carol, in college, and they were married on June 8, 1968. From 1967-1969 Jim served as an infantry training officer at Fort Polk, La. In November of 1969, Carol gave birth to their only child, Bryan Eric. Jim left the service, receiving an honorable discharge in December of 1969, and the three of them moved back to Pittsburg, where he owned a photography company, Farley's Photography, photographing drag races, weddings and portaits.

Jim worked for the city of Pittsburg until moving to Rich Hill in September 1974. He taught Industrial Arts at Hume High School from 1974 until 1976, when he began a 32-year career at 3M corporation in Nevada. He helped manufacture thousands of products during his career, inculding the first run of an experimental new products called Post-It Notes. He helped make products that held airplanes together, products for medical applications, automotive products and many other items that people use on a everyday basis.

He was a dedicated worker with an impeccable attendance record, arriving to work late once in 32 years. He retired from 3M on Nov. 6, 2008, and spent his short retirement watching drag racing and NASCAR, baking bread, planning a cross-state solo bicycle trip along the Katy trail and bragging about his granddaughter Samantha to anyone that would listen.

He is survived by his wife, Carol, of the home; son Bryan, Tempe, Ariz.; granddaughter, Samantha, Gilbert, Ariz.; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Duane and Nancy Ludwig, of Olathe, Kan.; mother-in-law, Mary Lou Collins, of Overland Park, Kan.; nieces Sheryl Ludwig and Gennifer Haroutanian (Seb), both of Houston, Texas; and many, many friends.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the Heuser Funeral Home, in Rich Hill, with Bill Perkey officiating. Burial and military rites will be held in the Green Lawn Cemetery. The family suggests memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society or Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in care of Heuser Funeral Home.

Pallbearers are: Bruce Buckner, Mark Smith, Jim Douglas, Sam Morgan, Don Wolf, and Duane Ludwig.