Leroy Ray Farthing

LeRoy R Farthing as remembered and written by his family. LeRoy R. Farthing, TSGT USAF (Ret), lost his final battle with cancer on March 19, 2021, just 8 days after his 89th birthday.He had beaten cancer before, along with several other severe medical conditions and had always come out the other side a winner with a smile on his face. People will remember him most for that smile and good humor.Dad was the middle child of three boys and is survived by his older brother, Bob and younger brother, Ted, and their families; two sons; three daughters; seven grandchildren; and “a passel of great-grandkids” as he would say. Dad was born in Greybull, WY on March 11, 1932.The family, Grandpa Lee, Grandma Viola, Uncle Bob, Dad, and Uncle Ted lived in Wyoming until 1940, then made their way West to California. All three brothers became great lovers of all things outdoors at a very early age, hunting, fishing, and enjoying the wilds of Wyoming and California, mostly to put food on the table, but at times just for the pure joy of being in the great outdoors. Dad enlisted in the Air Force and was shipped out just before his high school graduation, so his diploma was mailed to him while he was still in basic training.He served first as a Combat Engineer in the Korean war and later as a Chief Flight Engineer on C123s in the Vietnam war.During his career he earned numerous awards, medals, and citations, most notably the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters for his actions in Vietnam (1968 – 1969).On those rare occasions you could get him to speak about Korea and/or Vietnam, dad would joke that he cross trained after Korea because he got tired of being shot at all the time, only to get shot at more in the first few weeks of his 18-month tour in Vietnam, than in all the time he spent in Korea. After returning from Korea, Dad met and married Myrna J. Kundert and the first two of five children, Ronald and Robin were born in Waco, Texas. In 1960, dad followed Uncle Ted and his family to Alaska transferring to Elmendorf AFB where the three youngest children, Kenneth, Karen, and Bonnie were born.While dad was deployed to Vietnam, mom took us kids back to Texas and upon dad’s return, he borrowed grandpa’s truck, loaded mom and 3-year-old Bonnie in the front seat, (standard cab, extended cabs weren't a thing yet) tossed us other four kids in the back bed of the truck which had an aluminum shell on it and we drove back to Alaska from east Texas.Dad retired from the AF in 1972.Eventually grandpa and grandma also came to Alaska, both being avid outdoors people themselves.Between dad, uncle Ted and Aunt Carrie, the love for the outdoors was nurtured and encouraged in all of us kids (and later grandkids) who showed an interest.All three generations, male and female hunted and fished all over Alaska in all kinds of conditions ranging from sub-zero cold to raging blinding storms in the Gulf of Alaska. There are many memories and stories from those times hunting, fishing, and exploring Alaska and some are quite harrowing.Dad felt the best times were when all three generations: grandpa, grandma, dad, Uncle Ted and Aunt Carrie and we kids were all together enjoying the Alaskan outdoors as a family. Uncle Ted and Aunt Carrie along with grandpa and grandma bought some property in Idaho in 1972 up in the Hoodoo Mountains in the panhandle so they had a place to settle down and retire to.Grandpa was the last of the real cowboys and loved his ranch life.Dad moved there around 1985 to help take care of them and the ranch.Dad also loved the ranch life.After his parents passed, dad stayed on for several more years before time began to take its toll.His eyesight was failing and so was his health.It just was not safe for him anymore to live so far back in the mountains especially when roads were impassable for several weeks to months due to snowfall.So, dad packed up and headed east to Montana. He moved in with his youngest son to spend his final years here.Even though dad was now just into his 80s, he managed to make a few more memories fishing and camping in Montana with his son over the next few years.These would be his last outdoor adventures. Dad always made sure there was food on the table, a roof over our heads, presents at Christmas and birthdays, and we were warm, safe, and loved.He will be deeply missed.His ashes will be spread in Wyoming near Greybull where he first developed his love of the wild.