Myron J. Faris

Thursday, February 19, 2009, Myron J. Faris passed away peacefully at St. Agnes Hospital, surrounded by his loving family. Formerly a resident of 327 E. Division Street, Myron spent the last year and a half at St. Francis Home in Fond du Lac. Myron was born November 23, 1915, in Fond du Lac, the son of Shaker and Mary Kahlil Faris. He married Bernice Grebe on June 3, 1944 at St. Mary's Church. She preceded him in death on November 15, 1999. Myron concluded his 36-year newspaper career with The Reporter on Nov. 12, 1980. He began his career as a reporter with the Fond du Lac Commonwealth Reporter on Jan. 10, 1944. Over the years he covered county government, courts, police and sheriff's department beats and virtually all county offices. He reported most of Fond du Lac's major news events for decades, including visits of presidents to the city (including a very memorable encounter with Sen. John F. Kennedy on an upper floor of the Retlaw Hotel during the Kennedy's successful run for the presidency in 1960), murder trials, environmental news, hunting and fishing news, conservation hearings, elections and the county board. Myron served briefly as city editor and area editor before being named news editor in 1969 -- a key position in which he served as the Page 1 designer for 11 years. Myron was honored by the Izaak Walton League for his outstanding reporting on environmental and conservation issues. He was well known in the Fond du Lac area for his articles about the outdoors and environmental issues.He was a co-founder of the local Ducks Unlimited chapter. He was a past president of the Fox Valley Lake Shore Press Club and St. Mary's Springs High School Fathers Club. He served as President of the Fox Valley Press Club. Myron was a member of Holy Family Parish/St. Mary's Church, St. Mary's Holy Name Society, Elks Lodge #57, a lifetime member of Eagles Aerie #270, and a lifetime member of Knights of Columbus Council #664. Mike Mentzer, longtime friend and news associate stated, "On a personal note, I view Myron as one of the finest people I've ever met. He was a friend and a mentor and a 'class act' every day that I worked with him. He was a tremendous asset to this community, and Fond du Lac truly is a better place because he passed this way." Myron is survived by four children, Suzanne (David) Wiza, Sr., Gene (Kerry) Faris, Jeffrey (Anne) Faris, all of Fond du Lac, and Paul (Karen) Faris of Campbellsport. He is further survived by eleven grandchildren, David (Carrie) Wiza Jr., Wendy (Jeff) Krcmar, Elizabeth, Alison, and Jennifer Faris, and Kayla, Matthew, Michelle, Johnathan, Paul Jr., and Kateri Faris. Also surviving are five great-grandchildren, Lauren, Tyler, and Shayna Wiza, and Nashua and Finlei Krcmar, a sister, Genevieve "Jeanne" (Arthur) Snell of San Francisco, and a very special friend, Gladys Jaber. He is further survived by many loving nieces and nephews and dear friends. Myron was lucky to have wonderful friends at St. Francis Nursing Home, including Gladys, Virgiline, and Harold. Myron fought a valiant battle against macular degeneration, including being a part of a test group of five people in search of a new medicine. He did not focus on the negative, but greeted each day with a thank you to God for what he was still able to see. Myron was preceded in death by his wife, Bernice, his parents, five siblings, Jamelia, Rashidi, Peggy Flemming, Josephine Corcoran, and James Faris, and a grandson, Francis Faris. Myron will be greatly missed by all who knew him.



Visitation for Mr. Myron J. Faris will be on Monday, February 23, 2009, from 4 to 8 pm at Uecker-Witt Funeral Home. Family prayers will be on Tuesday, February 24th at 10am at the funeral home. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 am at St. Mary's Church, 93 Marquette Street. The Rev. Victor Capriolo will officiate and burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. The family requests that memorials be directed to the Knight of Columbus Council #664, or the Employee Appreciation Fund of St. Francis Nursing Home, 33 Everett Street, Fond du Lac, 54935.The family would like to extend a sincere thank you to the nurses, aides, and staff of St. Francis Nursing Home, and the nurses of the 5th Floor at St. Agnes Hospital.