Obituary: Ada Katherine Davis Farnham

Ada Katherine Davis Farnham died in Oak Ridge on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013.

She was 91 years young. Ada was born in Rose Hill, Va., on May 30, 1922, to Sylvan Theron Davis and Icy Janette Fee Davis. She graduated from Thomas Walker in 1939, and attended Radford State Teachers’ College and Lincoln Memorial University, where she met Robert Mote Farnham, and they were married in 1943. They enjoyed 70 wonderful years together. Ada and Bob (Red) were very active members of First Baptist Church for more than 50 years. They both served there as teachers and deacons. They enjoyed everyday life, traveling, square dancing, laughing, loving, and gardening together.

Ada had teaching degrees in home economics, science, and special education. She taught in Rose Hill, Va., and also at Tyson Junior High School in Knoxville, but most of her teaching career was at Daniel Arthur Rehabilitation Center in Oak Ridge, where she taught for more than 20 years.

Ada Farnham was an intuitive person of great energy and enthusiasm who loved to share the good things in life and bring opportunities of joy to other people, especially family, friends, children, and students. She dispensed new experiences, food, flowers, fruit, and hugs to all who would accept them. She had an enduring love of family, friends, and making good memories. Positive, optimistic, and with a good sense of humor, she did her best to maintain and share strong family relationships and enrich friendship connections.

She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Mote Farnham (July 2013); and by her sons, Robert Mike Davis Farnham, and David Patrick Farnham.

Ada Farnham is survived by her daughter Rebecca Farnham, her granddaughter Adrian Flory (husband Mike Flory and great-granddaughter Aurora), grandson David Ross Haden, and son-in-law Reggie Holleman.

The family will receive friends at Weatherford Mortuary on Saturday, Dec. 21, from 2-4 p.m. with the funeral following at 4 p.m., with the Rev. Tim Borchert of First Baptist Church presiding.

There will be a graveside service at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, at Silver Leaf Baptist Church in Rose Hill, Va. (Lee County).

Those who would prefer to donate in lieu of flowers can consider contributing memorial gifts to the Agape Center at First Baptist Church in Oak Ridge, or the cemetery maintenance fund at Silver Leaf Baptist Church in Rose Hill, Va.

An online guest book can be signed at www.weatherfordmortuary.com.