Nancy Ann Farthing

Nancy Ann O"�Bryant Farthing was born in Springfield on Sept. 25, 1935, to Georgia (Mackey) and William Jack O"�Bryant. She departed this life on August 24, 2012, after a long illness. Nancy is survived by her husband of 53 years, John Robert Farthing; daughters Julia Maslanka and her husband, Bill, of Lower Gwynedd, PA; Elizabeth Bitterman and her husband Steve, of Glenside, PA; a son, Jack Farthing, of St. Louis; a brother, Thomas O"�Bryant and his wife, Linda, of Chicago, IL; grand-daughters Georgia, Grace, and Lily Bitterman, of Glenside, PA; sisters-in-law Mary Adams and her husband, Dean, of Ozark, and Jane Wheeler and her husband, Jim, of Boulder, CO; several nieces and nephews; a close cousin, Don Dailey and his wife, Virginia; and many life-long friends. The family expresses their deepest gratitude to Lee Robeson, a loyal, loving, and compassionate caregiver. Nancy graduated from Greenwood High School, where she was her class"�s Salutatorian. She attended Stephens College, in Columbia, MO. Nancy moved back to Springfield after graduating and worked briefly in local television and radio productions before continuing her education at the University of Missouri, where she became a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. While attending the University of Missouri, Nancy met John R. Farthing, of Ozark. They married in 1959, and established a home together in Springfield. She devoted her life to raising their family and was actively involved in Christ Episcopal Church, and the Camp Fire Girls. In addition to serving organizations in which her own children participated, Nancy gave her time to community groups which served other children in our area, such as the Child Advocacy Center, the Regional Girls"� Shelter, and the Junior League of Springfield. Nancy began working outside the home in 1985, for Noble Associates. There she put to excellent use the many years of experience she had with cooking and entertaining, as she developed and tested recipes to market the products of the advertising firm"�s many clients in the food industry. Throughout her adult life, Nancy had a great interest in preserving America"�s historic buildings and homes, and enjoyed learning about early American antique furniture. Most vacations included visits to historic houses and sites. But the main focus of Nancy"�s life was always family. She simply loved gathering her family together. In later years, welcoming their adult children, sons-in-law, and grandchildren back home for extended summer stays and holidays was her favorite activity. Through the many times they spent together, she enriched their lives beyond measure. A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, August 28 at 5:00 PM at Christ Episcopal Church. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Regional Girls"� Shelter or the charity of your choice.