Dr.Elnora Anne Farrell

Dr. Elnora Anne Farrell died peacefully on Wednesday, September 22nd after a brief illness at the age of 82.

She was born in El Paso, TX on February 13, 1928 to Vera Kiech Farrell and Desmond Joseph Farrell. The family moved to San Antonio, TX in 1932 where she attended elementary through high school years at Alamo Heights and graduated in 1944.

In high school she was a member of a numerous clubs, sororities, the band and was a member of the United Methodist Church of Alamo Heights. She actively studied flute and piano. She graduated from college in 1948 from the University of Texas in Austin with highest honors in biology.

She played the flute and piano in the concert band, and although she began her education as a concert pianist, after a discussion with her father, changed her major to pre medical and biology. In addition to her studies she was an active member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and continued her lifelong association with her sorority sisters.

She has also been a lifelong member of the Texas Exes, as well as an avid follower of the Texas Longhorn football team. She never missed a game. One of her fondest memories was singing "The Eyes of Texas" while boating on the Volga river in Russia.

After college she was one of the first women to be admitted to the University of Texas Medical branch of Galveston. She graduated with highest honors in 1952 as she was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Medical Society for her academic achievements.

She originally began an internship in pathology but realized her passion was in "one on one" patient care. She completed her education in general practice at Baptist Memorial Hospital in San Antonio. She began her career in 1953 on McCullough Avenue and then moved her practice in late 60's to the Highlands Pharmacy office building in Olmos Park.

Beginning in the 1960's she was the campus physician at Trinity University for more than 25 years. In 1983 she purchased her present office building where she has been practicing continuously until her retirement in June of 2010. She was a practicing physician for 57 years. In her early years, Dr. Farrell practiced obstetrics, gynecology, general surgery, pediatrics, internal medicine and delivered hundreds of current San Antonio residents.

She was also known to be one of the few doctors who still willingly made house and nursing home calls 7 days a week up to her retirement. Dr. Farrell considered her patients as her friends, and was hesitant to charge them for her services. She was truly a pioneer in women's medicine in San Antonio, a well respected member of the medical community and a member of a generation whose values were forged by the great depression and WWII.

She was a proud member of Bexar County Medical Society, Texas Medical Association and the American Medical Association. Dr. Farrell was a long time resident of Olmos Park. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Tuesday Musical Club, the PEO Women's organization of Texas and Alamo Heights United Methodist Church.

Anne loved her patients but above all was devoted to her family, friends and her many stray four legged friends that were lucky enough to end up on her doorstep. Her friends and family lovingly knew her as "Wookie" which came from a nickname that stuck from a comic strip character from the 1930's.

She loved her friends and always insisted on picking up the tab for lunch or dinner. Her mentors in life were her father, Desmond Farrell, her beloved uncle, Dr. Veon C. Kiech, Stanley Jung, husband of her cousin Kathleen Jung and Raymond Miller, her Arkansas business partner.

Aside from medicine, she was a cotton farmer and spent many of her summer vacations at the family farms in Arkansas. She was a frequent patron at the original Luby's on Broadway and could be seen there five days a week with her sister Charla Jennings, and cousin Kathleen Jung.

Wookie loved the symphony, her trips to the beach with her sister Charla, and hosting many dinners, lunches and holiday celebrations at the San Antonio Country Club where she was a lifelong member. She is survived by her loving nephew, Dr. Leslie Desmond Jennings and his wife Mary Jo of Dallas.

She is also survived by many nephews and nieces including, Richard Jung and his wife Lynn of Nashville, Jimmy Jung and his wife Jeanne of San Antonio, Kiech Jung and his wife Susan of San Antonio, Sara Bouchard and her husband, Pat of San Antonio, Toni Falls and her husband Fred of San Antonio, as well as their children.

Many thanks to the kindness of the staff at Methodist Specialty Hospital for their loving care during her illness.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 26, 2010 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

SERVICE

MONDAY

SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

2:00 P.M.

ALAMO HEIGHTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

825 E. BASSE RD.

Rev. Dr. David McNitzky and Rev. Dr. Toby Snoden officiating.

In lieu of flowers donations can be sent to San Antonio Humane Society and Alamo Heights United Methodist Church in San Antonio.

Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Park.

A reception will follow at the San Antonio Country Club.