Wilfred Gray Farley

One of the original Oregon Territory families, Wilfred G. Farley, passed peacefully to his eternal home on December 21, 2011. He was born to Treffle and Margaret Farley in Yakima on May 25, 1919, lived until the age of six in White Swan and the remainder of his 92 years on the family fruit orchard in Selah, Washington. He is survived by one daughter, Mary H. Farley of Selah, two sons, Robert and wife Wilma of Gleed, and Daniel Kirk of San Diego and a sister, Zelika of Wenatchee. Also surviving him are four grandchildren, Marie of Reno, Nevada, Michael (Michelle) Boll of Wasilla, Alaska, Candie (Bill) Wayenberg of Yakima, and Christina (Paul) Koszty of Gleed, nine great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild. Preceding him in death was his wife, Marguerite, one granddaughter, Michelle, and one brother, Paul. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

He was active with his wife, Marguerite in 4-H Club and in caring for numerous foster children. He was never too busy to share his time and a hand with a child. He welcomed them all with open arms.

Everyone liked Wilfred or Willy as he was affectionately called. It was rare to ever hear him say a bad word about anyone. He worked hard; first in the fruit warehouses in addition to farming the family orchard, at the Atomic Energy Plant in Hanford, and finally retiring from Weyerhaeuser Paper Company in Union Gap.

He was a loving and affectionate father and husband. His children remember him singing songs to them, ice skating on Wenas Lake, reading fairy tales, building boats of old scraps of wood, and weekends of fishing Washington’s lakes and streams. He was also an avid hunter. He read several novels a week his entire life and in winter spent time carving figurines from wood.

Mr. Farley was one of this nations first Cross Country skiers having carved his own skis out of maple. He broke State records in the high jump while attending Selah High School. Wilfred was a frontiersman in many ways having followed along behind his grandfather and uncles as they surveyed and rode horseback over much of what is now Snoqualmie National Forest. There were very few trails and hidden lakes he did not know.

It was the little boy Wilfred that pulled the hair from the horses’ tails to help his dad make the brushes for the valley’s first apple washing machine now on display at the Farm and Implement Museum in Union Gap. Together, the Farleys’ and Hauses’, like many other of the pioneer families of Washington Territory, “made a difference.”

Wilfred was also a 78-year member of IOOF Lodge. He was a faithful member of the Gleed Church of Christ.

Visitation will be Thursday, December 29, 2011 from 4-8 P.M. at Keith & Keith Ninth Avenue Chapel. Funeral Services will be conducted Friday, December 30th at 11:00 A.M. at Keith & Keith Terrace Heights Chapel. Concluding services will follow at Terrace Heights Memorial Park. Memorials are suggested to Gleed Church of Christ % Keith & Keith.