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- The Mercury News, Oregon, January 30, 2022
Donna Marie Farfan
June 25, 1921 ? January 9, 2022
Eugene, Oregon
It is with a sad heart the Farfan family announces the passing of its' wonderful matriarch Donna Marie Farfan. At 100 years old, Donna passed peacefully of natural causes on January 9, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. She was born in Fairmont, Nebraska on June 25, 1921 and was always proud of her cornhusker heritage and kept in touch with many of her family members. Her daughter Betty Farfan, a Licensed Vocational Nurse, was able to visit her during the holidays and had to spend one night in the Seattle airport to get home, but she treasures her visit. Donna also recently talked with her sole surviving brother Darrell Bassett and his wife Jacque. Donna relished being the great aunt with many nieces and nephews, and some would visit her in Oregon and others used FaceTime to talk with her. She was the loving wife of Manuel Enos Farfan of Santa Clara who predeceased her in 1975. She is survived by her son Bill Farfan and his wife Patti, and her daughters Betty Farfan and Beverly Farfan, her grandchildren Sam Farfan, and Katie Smith and her husband Jeff Smith, the joys of her life her great grand children Sierra Farfan and Owen Smith. She also leaves her youngest brother Darrell Bassett and his wife Jacque from Ogallala, Nebraska, sisters in law: Pat Farfan, Norma Bassett and Shirley Bassett. Donna and her sister Dorothy Hetherington helped her mother Marie Bassett raise the three brothers Dean, Don and Darrell when their father Frederick Bassett passed away in 1936. Now that Donna and her siblings have passed, her sole surviving brother Darrell will become the pillar of the Bassett family. There are countless surviving nieces and nephews that could be mentioned who Donna knew and cherished.
Her youngest daughter Beverly had been her daily companion and best friend for the past twenty years and it was only fitting that Donna passed with her being there. They were both honored for being volunteers and have a reputation of compassion and community service in Eugene. Donna annually crocheted hundreds of hats for the less fortunate and helped serve at the Annual Whitaker Dinners organized by Beverly. She was crocheting hats until her last days.
Donna was always interested in sports especially baseball. She played catcher as a youngster. She attended many little league games, high school games, softball games, minor league baseball games (San Jose and Eugene), the Oakland A's, the Mariners, the San Francisco Giants. She was in attendance for the 1989 World Series game when the Loma Prieta Earthquake caused the game to be cancelled. You could spot her because she always kept a scorebook. She bowled in many different leagues and has attended San Jose Sharks ice hockey games. When she moved to Eugene from Santa Clara valley she changed her allegiance to root for her new home team. Family members were not happy when she started rooting for the Seattle Seahawks and Mariners. Her favorite team became the Oregon Ducks football team. When no local teams were playing, she would root for the Nebraska Cornhuskers "Big Red". She loved having numbers in a football pool. Her competitive spirit would carry over into her passion for card games and many nights after a card game with her daughter, while lying in bed, she would yell to Beverly, in the bedroom across the hall,"Good night loser." Mom always had a spark of mischief and kindness. Her baby brother Darrell often heard, "I have my own teeth."
Donna retired from the Santa Clara Unified School District after many years working in the payroll department. After retiring, she traveled to Machu Picchu, Peru, Australia, France and Italy, and often went to Alaska to visit Beverly who worked there at the time. They both took her grandson Sam whitewater rafting in Denali Park, and her granddaughter Katie also visited and explored the glaciers with grandma and her great aunt. When Donna turned 80, she knew she might need some extra help and moved to Eugene. It was in Eugene that Beverly helped, encouraged, and prodded her mother to keep going. They had many adventures together with one annual visit to Ogallala, Nebraska always a must. One day they both received a speeding ticket from the same police officer on the same road, even though they were in different cars. They both said it was a "Speed Trap" but it was not her first speeding ticket. Mom was active in delivering Meals on Wheels to seniors younger than her. She was the senior member of the Red Hat Society. Mom set a goal to live to be 100 and went past it by six months and some change. It was always important to her to celebrate Christmas because that was the half way point to her next birthday in June. Mom and Beverly always drove down for the Christmas Eve get-together in Santa Clara hosted by the Souzas and the next day celebrations with just her family. She would have a Tanqueray gin and tonic and say I am such and such years old and a "Half". She competed in life and played well and expected others to play fair. Being the oldest in our family meant she was up to bat and the rest of us are on deck waiting our turn. We hear the words: "Batter Up" and will give it our best just like mom.
Donna thought a donation to your local Senior Center would be a fitting and appropriate show of your community support for all the seniors like her. A gathering of family and friends will take place during the summer in Santa Clara County with the date and times to be announced. She will rest in peace next to her husband Manuel Farfan.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1921 - 2022 (100 years)