Richard Myron Faris

Richard Myron Faris of Aurora, Colorado, passed away on September 17, 2020, in his home with his family by his side, after a lengthy fight with MDS. He was 77 years, 1 month, and 14 days old.

Richard was born August 3, 1943, in Oxford, Nebraska, Mother Edith Leola (Kennedy, Faris, Hunt) Chapin, Father Wayne Eugene Chapin. He resided in Republican City, Nebraska, with his brothers and sister, Barry Hunt, Floyd Chapin, Roma (Chapin) Grube. Richard's biological father, PFC Hervey Earl Faris, was killed in WWII when Richard was only 10 months old. Richard contracted polio Sept. 20, 1949, spends 4 months in Saint Francis Hospital, Grand Island, Nebr.; left with a weak back and a smaller left leg. Not allowing this disease to define him, Richard was very active, even playing gridiron football in high school. Richard graduated High School, class of 10, in Republican City, 1962. Following high school, Richard worked for the Army Corps of Engineers at the Harlem County Lake. In 1962, Richard attended Nebraska State Teachers College of Kearney. Then two years at Omaha Art school. He moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1966, working at Modern Press as a Commercial Artist. In 1967 Richard met and fell in love with the woman that would be his wife for the next 52 years, Judy Ann (Tilden) Faris. They married on June 15, 1968, at First United Methodist Church. To this union, a daughter, Nicole Leann (Faris) Hager, and a son, Mikael Robert Faris, were born. Moving to Aurora, Colorado, in 1973, Richard worked at Salesvertising Advertising Agency in Denver, CO, for about a year. Then worked for the Adolph Coors Beer Company Advertising Department, in Golden, CO from June 1974 - May 1979. While at Coors, he served on the Emergency Fire Response Team. May 1979, Richard bought into the Copy Cat printing shop with Robert Reifsteck, a buddy since grade school days. They kept the shop running for over 25 years before Richard returned to Coors and drove a bus for the handicap. Richard was very active in the Boy Scouts of America. He joined the Boy Scouts in 1955; unfortunately, the troop disbanded after only 2 years. In 1985 he became a volunteer as a Webelo's leader. He held the following volunteer positions, Cub Scout leader, District Commissioner, Assistant Scoutmaster, District Eagle Scout Advisor, and Order of the Arrow. In 2001 Richard received the Silver Beaver Award. The highest honor the Denver Area Council Boy Scouts of America can bestow upon a volunteer Scouter. Richard maintains that the best scouting time was to see his wife, Judy, pin the Eagle Scout Badge on their son, Mikael, in 1994, and then to have Mikael pin a small round pin on his scout shirt that reads "Eagle Dad," the best award of all. Richard also volunteered at Wilderness on Wheels, his children's schools, and with his wife as a Teen Safe House Advisor and radio broadcasting for First United Methodist Church. Richard became an Ordained Minister, September 11, 2005, with Universal Live Church. He officiated Mikael Robert Faris and Chemeane Marie (Day) Faris wedding on September 25, 2005.


Richard enjoyed bluegrass music, going home to Rep City, summer vacations with his family, camping, dirt biking, coin collecting, Star Trek, Star Wars, National Geographic, Boy Scouts, Nebraska Football, and Denver Broncos football. He started his genealogy projects for himself and his wife's side of the family that date from 1620 to the present. Richards Boy Scout of America memorabilia collection takes up an entire room. Richard was a great artist with much of his work hanging in his home. His favorite artist was Norman Rockwell. He was able to retire and enjoyed spending time with his grandkids, Hailey and Justin Hager, Maile and Paige Faris. He loved telling old stories to his son-in-law, Lonnie Hager, and his favorite daughter-in-law, Chemeane (Day) Faris. He enjoyed visits with his friends, brothers, sister, and sisters' in-laws, nieces, and nephews'. Richard worked very hard to try and bring his biological father, PFC Hervey Earl Faris' remains back home. Unfortunately, they were unable to recover Hervey Faris. A memorial marker was placed in Voss Mohr cemetery, Chalco (Millard) Nebraska, between parents Blaine & Augusta Faris' stones of Hervey Earl Faris by his son Richard Myron Faris in September 2017. Richard was also an active member of the American WWII Orphans Network.


It was Richards wish to be cremated after death with no formal services, so those wishes are being honored by his family.

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