Floris Loraine Farrand's Obituary
Floris Loraine Lockard Farrand was born March 23, 1925, to Edna Holt Malarkey and Edwin Lockard in Philadelphia, PA. She grew up in that area attending school in the Narberth area of western Philadelphia, being raised part-time by her aunt Elsie and Ralph Heister with her two male cousins, Ralph, Jr., and Jack. She married Robert Mitman Mason when she was just out of High School. They had 3 children, Judith Lydia, Lindy Lorraine, and Robert Mitman, Jr. They eventually moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, where Bob was involved in a cabinetry business. They divorced sometime after the birth of their third child, Rob, Jr. With no real job skills, she worked for numerous years at the VA Medical Center, the Arkansas State Health Departments, W.T. Grants and J.C. Penneys Department Stores, in Little Rock, AR, in order to raise her family. After the children were grown, she married Leon Raulston and they were married several years until his untimely death at home in the yard. She subsequently met William G. “Tony” Farrand, whose wife had died and who resided in Dallas, TX (through a blind date arranged by her previous minister and friend, Mark and Dorothy McCraken). Tony had five wonderful adult children. They fell in love, married October 16, 1982, and Floris moved to Dallas where they resided happily together. Eventually they moved to the Austin area at Lake Travis, and then to Georgetown, TX. Early one morning in November, 2001, Tony was out watching sky phenomena with friends. He looked up – and then went straight up to be with the Lord. Floris was devastated and heartbroken at the end of a wonderful marriage of 19 years but moved on alone in God’s continuing faithfulness. Floris was a multi-talented individual with a deep love of music. She played piano by ear and sang often in church with her son, Rob, and with the Sweet Adelines or other groups. She wrote at least one beautiful hymn. Floris was a creative fun-loving person. She loved crafts, sewing and was extremely gifted at these. Floris loved to travel and she and Tony saw much of the US, Europe and Canada. In March, 2008, Floris went into the hospital in Houston for some surgery and came through fine, but within 24 hours suffered a stroke and continued her care in a nursing home until her death, November 3, 2009. She was unable to walk or even talk during the last few months but could say one word, Nice. So the nursing home personnel, who really seemed to love her, just called her “Nice.” They walked into the room, calling out “Hi Nice!” She was a longtime Christian and instilled deep values in her children, as did Tony in his children. She is survived by her children: son, Rob Mason and wife Betty Ann of Houston, TX ; and daughter, Lindy Mason Book, MD and her daughter of Boca Raton, FL; her step-children, Bill and wife Janie of Loveland, CO as well as their 3 sons and 4 grandchildren, Barbara and husband Bill Loaring-Clark of Dallas, TX and their son, 2 daughters, and 5 grandchildren with another due in March 2010, Margaret Ann and husband AJ Harris of Dallas, TX and their 2 daughters and 1 son, David and wife Martha of Whitehall, MT and their 4 sons, Donald and wife Beverly of Caddo Mills, TX. Thus, for Floris: 13 grandchildren and 9( ) great-grandchildren. Her daughter, Judy Mason, preceded her in death in November, 2008.
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