Elizabeth Farris

Date of Birth

Apr 20,1920

Date of Death

May 08,2013

ELIZABETH ELEANORE "Lee" FARRIS, age 93, of Maple Park, formerly of Glen Ellyn, passed away in the quiet hours of the evening, Thursday, May 9, 2013, at Bethany Health Care Center, DeKalb, IL, where she had recently made her home. She was born April 20, 1920, in Chicago , IL . Lee grew up in Chicago and attended local schools. As was the case with many of her generation, Lee left school to take care of her younger siblings and to find ways to help support the family. When she was grown, she joined her sister as dancers complete with outfits made by their mother. Their years in entertainment, traveling on tours across the U.S. and working with other acts made memories in the millions, including being bought a drink from Al Capone himself! Though they never drank alcohol, they gladly accepted a Coke and a tip of the hat from old "Scarface". Lee found a home for her heart when she met Edward Farris and after a whirlwind courtship, they were married before he went off to war. Upon his return, they picked up where they left off and began a family, welcoming home their son Larry in 1947. They made their family complete in 1956 with the birth of Dale. They loved their sweet home Chicago , but in time, a change was needed so they packed up and moved to the suburbs making Glen Ellyn their home. Over time, she and Edward grew apart, and when the time came to sell the home, Lee moved to Bartlet for a time before moving in with her sons. Lee worked locally for a time, including for herself, before spending 27 years at Wheaton College as head chef of the salad department. Cooking for such large numbers of students, special bulk recipes were given to the college but Lee found them unacceptable. Instead, she tweaked her own recipes, much to the delight of the students. They became so popular that she was approached to sell her recipes. Although flattered, Lee quickly, but politely declined. She retired at the age of 74. Lee was superb at arranging flowers to grace the table that was laden with the best home cooking you ever saw. From the salads to the main dish to dessert, nothing smelled so good as her kitchen near meal time. Her home was beautiful as well, with gorgeous blooms framing the driveway and home each spring, summer and autumn. She had a honest soul, always making sure that everything was equal and fair to the best of her abilities. She is survived by two sons: Larry Farris and Dale Farris, both of Maple Park ; One grandson, Dale (Gen) Farris Jr. and their two children, Rebbecca and Zayl; One sister, Laurie Stanner and several cousins. She is preceded in death by her parents and one sister Marjorie Johnson. Visitation will be from 5-6:30 p.m. with a service to follow at 7 p.m., Monday, May 13, 2013, at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St. , Elburn , IL 60119 . Burial will follow Tuesday morning, May 14, 10 a.m., at Kaneville Cemetery , Kaneville , IL . In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in Lee\\\’s name to benefit her favorite charities. Checks may be made to the "Elizabeth Farris Memorial" and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66 , Elburn, 60119. Tributes may also be forwarded to the same address or on the web at www.conleycare.com.

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