George Fahrni

George Fahrni was a hard working man who gave his all for those entrusted to his care. A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, George enjoyed the friendships of many, as well. George valiantly served his country, and he remained very proud of his Swiss heritage. Gone but never to be forgotten, he will be lovingly remembered.

A decade of industrial expansion, the Roaring Twenties was an era of prosperity and good fortune. The spirit of America was evident as the Lincoln Memorial was honorably dedicated at a time when prohibition was law of the land. With hope and promise, the lives of John and Bertha (Zesiger) Fahrni were made even brighter on November 5, 1922 when they welcomed the birth of their young son, George into their arms.

George was born and raised on a small farm near the village of Dalton, Ohio where his family made their home. His parents were farmers, and although they met and married in the U.S., they both came to live in the United States as indentured Swiss servants. They clung to their Swiss roots and carried on the traditions of their heritage which lived on in their hearts. A bustling household, George was one of eventually nine children in his family. He attended the Dalton area schools along with his siblings, and early on he learned the value of hard work by helping on the farm.

The onset of the Great Depression created troubling financial times for all from coast to coast, and George’s family was no exception. Times were indeed difficult, even in their close knit village. During his teenage years, George continued working the farm until he landed a job with Republic Steel as a courier. With World War II well underway, George was drafted to serve in the U.S. Navy at the age of 21 years old. He served from 1943 to 1945, and his time in the service, although tumultuous at times, gave him a thirst for travel which he thoroughly enjoyed later in life.

Following the service, George made his way to Kalamazoo, Michigan working for the Ohio Drilling Company, drilling industrial wells in the area. During this time he lived in a rooming house above a local beauty parlor where he met another boarder by the name of Lucy Hammill. Quite smitten from the start, George and Lucy hit it off immediately and began dating. In November of 1950 the couple married, and their vows were blessed in a marriage ceremony by the Catholic church which meant a great deal to them and their families.

George and Lucy were soon blessed with a family of their own. Their two beautiful daughters, Dana and Marylan, truly made their lives complete. George worked hard and provided a good home and life for his girls. As a family they enjoyed several vacations over the years and made lasting memories along the way. Eventually when grandchildren came along, and later, great-grandchildren, George’s heart was filled with joy as he counted each and every one of his offspring as his greatest accomplishment.

True to his Catholic faith, in the late 1970s, George joined Lucy as a faithful member of St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church. After retirement George began attending daily Mass there. Each year George was sure to be in attendance at the annual reunion of the U.S.S. Piedmont, his naval ship. He was a member of the VFW, the Swiss Club in Canton, Ohio, and he also joined the Knights of Columbus which gave George the social outlet he so enjoyed.

With his beloved Lucy by his side, George traveled around the world and throughout the U.S. as much as possible. He was especially grateful for the opportunity to visit the homeland of his forefathers, Switzerland twice. Although George had traveled to places far and wide, even still his favorite place to go was to visit the farm in Ohio which is now being farmed by the Amish.

George was a jack-of-all-trades. He loved to putter around the house and he collected just about everything. Attending auctions was one of his favorite things to do and he was sure to always return home with several priceless treasures. Later in life George cooked for himself. He loved Lucy’s cooking, but when she sadly passed, he learned to fend for himself. He particularly enjoyed making his infamous “slum gully” when he filled the crockpot to the brim with veggies and meat. He liked it and it served him well for days.

George had a great sense of humor and he was also quite a jokester. In addition, he was a strong willed man, but his sense of stubbornness always saw him through any trials that life brought his way. He was a proud man – of his family, his heritage, and having served his country. For these things and so much more, George will be deeply missed in the hearts of those he leaves behind.

George Fahrni, of Vicksburg passed away on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at the age of 93. George is survived by his two daughters: Dana (Michael) Snyder of Scotts and Marylan (Donald) Hightree of Vicksburg; five grandchildren: Michael (Amanda) Snyder, Amanda (Todd) Carlson, Christopher (Heather) Snyder, Leif (Stephanie) Hightree, and Andrew (Hilary)Snyder; eight great-grandchildren: Ryan, Josie, Madison, Cadence, Nathan, Abigail, Eliza, and Hendrik. He was preceded in death by eight siblings and his wife Lucy in 1999.

The family will receive friends on Friday, February 5, 2016 from 3-5 pm at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Vicksburg where a Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 5:00 pm. Burial at Vicksburg Cemetery on Saturday. Please visit George’s webpage at www.lifestorynet.com where you can sign his online guestbook and share a favorite memory and/or photos of him. Those who wish may make memory contributions to the Knights of Columbus Council 13305. The family is being assisted by the Life Story Funeral Home, 409 S. Main, Vicksburg, MI (269-649-1697).