Elen Bishara Farmand

Elen was a woman of God. She practiced her faith at Assumption Catholic Church and later San Jose Catholic Church. She also attended Saint George Orthodox Church, where her husband was one of the founding members.

She attended the Friends School for Girls in Ramallah before she married her beloved husband, Bishara Audi Farmand. Accompanied by her five young children, she left her home and all she knew in search of greater opportunities for her family. She arrived in the United States in 1961 to join her husband and son, who had already immigrated and settled in Jacksonville. In addition to being an excellent homemaker, she helped her husband with the various businesses he operated, including the infamous Dipper Dan’s Ice Cream Shop in Town and Country Shopping Center.

She had a passion for cooking specialty middle eastern food and pastries, a skill that her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren have wholeheartedly enjoyed and can only hope to emulate! She was a dedicated, lifelong member of the Ramallah American Club and fiercely supported its efforts to preserve the unique Palestinian culture that was so important to her.

Elen was the matriarch of the Farmand Family and will be sorely missed. She raised her six children with unconditional love and her trademark sarcastic humor. She was very proud of them and would not hesitate to share their accomplishments with friends and strangers alike. She was also blessed with 20 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren, whom she showered with love, fresh cooked meals and periodic check-ins, particularly when bad weather was approaching.

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal but she leaves a memory that no one can steal. Elen’s legacy will live on through the family she leaves behind. She was a dear mother to Anwar Farmand (Salwa), Afaf Saleh (Fuad), Hanan Akel (Fred), Tayseer Farmand (Ann), Majed Farmand (Jeannie), and Grace Akel (Ed). She is also survived by her sister, Salwa Bateh, and her sister-in-law, Mary J. Bateh.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bishara; her father, Kaleel; her mother, Hilweh; her brothers, Jameel, Joseph and Jimmy Bateh; her sisters, Laila Rabah, Mary I. Bateh and Eydie Bateh; and her granddaughter, Linda Yazji.

Visitation for family and friends will take place at San Jose Catholic Church on Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 10 o’clock in the morning, to be followed by a funeral mass at 10:45. She will be laid to rest at Greenlawn Cemetery, following the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to Assumption Catholic Church, San Jose Catholic Church or Saint George Orthodox Church.

Due to current events, the service will be live streamed for those who are unable to attend. The link to the stream is https://sjcatholic.org/mass_/live-streaming/.

Arrangements by Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Chapel, 4801 San Jose Blvd., Jacksonville 904-737-7171. Please sign the guestbook at www.hardagegiddensoaklawnchapel.com.