John B Farver Usaf(Ret)

Lt. Colonel John Burton Farver, USAF Retired, died Tuesday, September 2, 2014 in Dallas, Texas after a short illness. He was 90 years old. He was born on October 9, 1923 in Erie, Pennsylvania, the son of the late Bert P. and Edith Pickett Farver. A World War II era veteran, he had a distinguished military career, serving 22 years primarily as a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. In May of 1954, Captain John B. Farver of the 325th Fighter Interceptor squadron won the distinction of being the first pilot of a jet propelled plane; a T-33 jet trainer to land at the Erie airport. He was there to visit his mother on Mother's Day. He always said that he only regretted that his father was not alive to see it, as he had encouraged his love of airplanes ever since he was a little child. He was married to his beloved Helen in 1946 and together they raised seven children as he traveled the world in service to his country. He retired from the US Air Force in 1964 and began a second career as a computer pioneer working for Boeing and several government agencies with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
He finally stopped working in 1988and settled down in Santa Maria, California. He loved to garden and tinker in the garage. He especially liked to whistle, which would often drive Helen crazy. Won't she be happy to hear that whistle once more?
He lived life to the fullest. He loved fine cuisine and fine wine, but also relished more humble fare. He was a wonderful man with a great sense of humor and a flair for recounting old Air Force stories; like that he had been a flight instructor for Frank Borman before his astronaut days. He enjoyed sitting around after dinner reliving dogfights, leaning back and to the side like he was in the cockpit. All very entertaining for his children. He was truly and officer and a gentleman and will be greatly missed.
Burt, as he was known to all, was lost after the death of Helen, his wife of 63 years in2009 and is probably very happy to be with her and his daughter Priscilla now.
Preceding him in death were his wife, Helen Buchtel Farver, his brother, Pastor Clemens B. Farver, his sister Ione Swift, his daughter, Priscilla Farver Meddaugh and son in law Richard Parry. Surviving family members include six children, Mary Kathleen Parry of Frisco, Texas, John B. and Katherine Farver of Bellevue, Washington, Joan and Samuel Knox of St. Louis, Missouri, Robert B. Farver of Napa, California, Laura E. Farver of Frisco, Texas, James B. and Anne Farver of Leesburg, Virginia and son in law Douglas Meddaugh of Vancouver, Washington. Also surviving are 16 grandchildren and great grandchildren.
A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated in Plano, Texas at 10:30 a.m. Friday, September 5, 2014 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2700 W. Spring Creek Pkwy., Plano, Texas 75023. A second Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated in Santa Maria, California at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 13, 2014 at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church, 1190 E. Clark Ave., Santa Maria, California 93455. Burt will be laid to rest next to his beloved Helen at the Arroyo Grande Cemetery in Arroyo Grande, California following full military honors at the graveside.