Mr. Kenneth Charles Farver

Born on January 12, 1920 in Lawrence County, PA, he was the son of the late Ernest and Lydia Ball Farver. Ken graduated from Penn State University (Electrical Engineering) in 1941 and received his Master’s from Georgia Tech (EE) in 1947. In between, he served in the Signal Corp. in England during WWII. He was one of the first people to work with a new, secretive system, which we now know as Radar. He later served with the US Air Force at Wright Patterson AF Base in Ohio. While there, he met and married the love of his life, Sarah Babb. Ken retired as a design engineer from General Electric Transportation Division in Erie, PA. He and Sarah moved to Wildwood, FL, and subsequently to Hickory, NC, in 2014 to be near their daughter.

Ken was a lifetime member of IEEE, and various other groups such as Lions Club, and Veterans organizations. He served in various positions at different Presbyterian churches throughout his life. He participated in choirs, and is lovingly remembered for his powerful baritone voice. He was always in demand to sing at funerals and weddings – almost every wedding in his immediate and extended family, along with those of neighbors and friends. Family and friends remember the many occasions of Ken playing piano and everyone joining in singing. He and Sarah also spent many days on the golf course. He was called Grindaddy because he was always smiling.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Harold and Paul Farver.

He is survived by his wife of 77 years, Sarah Babb Farver; daughter, Karen Bennett (Andy Brinkley) of Hickory; son, C. Ronald Farver (Pam) of Newry, SC; grandchildren, Dana Peissel of Hickory, Dawn Bennett of Atlanta, Bethany Miller (Patrick) of Muncie, IN, Katie Hetrick (Luke) of Indianapolis, IN and David Farver of Muncie, IN; great grandchildren, Julien Peissel, Bennett Tretsch, Ben Miller and Sarah Miller.

Due to Covid -19, there will be a family only service. A gathering of family and friends will be held Saturday, October 17, 2020 at Pinecrest in the Atrium at 11:30 am.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to first Presbyterian Church at 237 2nd St NW Hickory, NC 28601 and or to Foothills Veterans helping Veterans at PO box 404 Newton, NC 28658-04042.

Condolences may be left at www.catawbamemorialpark.com.

The Farver Family is under the care of Catawba Memorial Park, Funerals & Cremations.