Molly Louise (Swanson) Farris
(March 4, 1949 – January 1, 2025)

Molly (New Haven, IN) was born to Manford and Lorraine Swanson of Lafayette, Indiana March 4th, 1949. She attended Rossville High School and graduated in 1967. She attended Purdue/West Lafayette for a year considering a career in teaching, but decided to switch to Ivy Tech in Lafayette to pursue her true passion, nursing. She graduated with a Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) Degree in February 1970.

While at Purdue, she met Richard Farris (Rick) on a blind date in November of 1967. They went together like peas and carrots (to quote Forrest Gump). They married on May 5th, 1973 after Rick completed his tour in the Army and graduated from Purdue. They celebrated their 51st anniversary in 2024.

Molly was a unique person that had an infectious smile and always made you feel at ease. She was genuinely delighted meeting new people and was a caring person. She relished long, deep conversations and took interest in what others had to say. But, above all, Molly loved her family the most. Her parents and younger brother were always an important part of her life. After marrying Rick, they had two children, Sara, followed by a younger brother, Mark. She opened her heart even more and poured the added love and affection into her young family and never quit. Her family and children were undoubtedly her pride and joy.

Although the immediate family was her focus, she dearly loved all of her friends and acquaintances. The Swanson Family in Lafayette was rather large, so she had bunches of cousins that she kept contact with and participated in many of their gatherings over the years. Molly also kept close with her classmates from grade school and high school. When the word "reunion" was mentioned, cousins or classmates, she was the first to stick up her hand and say, "When and where, I'm there!"

In later years, she and Rick attended the reunions he had with his Army brothers from Bravo Company that he served with in Vietnam and their wives/families. She looked forward to attending those gatherings and making more new friends from all over the country, or maybe it was because of her famous cookies that were requested year after year.

Molly was a good cook and baker. Each one of the children and grandchildren had "favorite things" that she made. When the holidays came around, she made sure each one of their favorites was presented to them at the table to enjoy and in Tupperware containers to take home. Tupperware was "big" at her house since she sold Tupperware for many years when they lived in Cincinnati. Rick had built shelves in the basement to hold the overflow from the kitchen. This was even after she stopped selling it!

Speaking of products. Vera Bradley always had good sales figures when Molly and her friends would attend the yearly Vera Bradley sale put on in the Fort Wayne Memorial Coliseum. She enjoyed telling Rick how much money she had saved by going to the sale as she walked in the door with several new purses and bags. She also liked playing euchre, pinochle, Purdue basketball/football, and any time spent with family.

She leaves behind her beloved husband, Rick Farris; her children Sara (Jobey) Bradtmueller, Mark (Lisa) Farris; grandchildren Matthew Thevenow, Quentin Farris, Carly & Braeden Bradtmueller; great-grandchildren Kane Huling and Kade Edwards; and brother Ned (Sandy) Swanson.

She leaves us with a hole in our hearts, but Molly had lifelong faith in the Lord. We can rest assured she is now with her Lord & Savior Jesus Christ.

A celebration of life will take place at 3:00 pm, Saturday, January 25, 2025, at FairHaven Funeral Home and Cremation Services (6557 N. Clinton Street) with calling from 1:00 pm until the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials donations may be made to the American Heart Association. To sign the online guestbook, go to www.fairhavenfortwayne.com