Obituary of Dorthy Phyllis Farmer

Dorthy Phyllis Farmer, 91, of Niles, Michigan, passed away on Friday, December 2, 2022, at her home.

She was born in Dowagiac, Michigan, on April 6, 1931, to the late Frank and Alice (Topping) Sibson.  As a child, she attended the one-room country school on Beeson Street.  After graduating from high school, she attended Western Michigan University.  Upon returning from college, she went on to student teach alongside her older sister, Lorna.

On June 21, 1950, she married Kenneth J. Farmer at the Union Protestant Daily Road Church in Cassopolis.  They had celebrated 63 years of marriage before Ken's passing in 2014.  Together, they farmed the family homestead for more than 40 years.

Dorthy was an amazing mother and farmer's wife.  Most years she and Ken planted large gardens and grew a large variety of vegetables and flowers.  She also served as a 4H leader for gardening.  She was a lifelong lover of horses and spent many hours riding the horses and ponies her father brought home from the sale barn.  Her favorite was her mare, Molly, which she showed at the Cass Fair, where she met her future husband, Ken, who also showed a draft horse.  She shared her love of nature and the outdoors with her children and grandchildren.  As a child of the Great Depression, she was an avid believer in not wasting food, and she spend many hours canning, baking bread, and making due with what she had.  She was a competent seamstress and made some of the family's clothes.  Dorthy minored in art in college, and she loved to paint and draw as time allowed.  One of her favorite projects was writing and illustrating books specifically for her grandchildren.

She is survived by her children, Dan (Diane) Farmer of St. Clair Shores, MI; Janet (Don) Frisz of Scottsburg, IN; and, Mark Farmer of Niles, MI; grand-children Jessica Frisz (Marcus Chance), Christopher (Hagen) Frisz, Morgan (Taylor) Frend, Matthew Farmer (Stephanie Rickords); two great-grandchildren, Weston and Kindle Frend; and is also survived by her foster brother, Charles "Joe" (Donna) Grover of North Carolina, as well as a host of friends.

Her faith was a large part of her life.  She and Ken were longtime members of several Church of God assemblies.

Dorthy was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Kenneth; siblings, Eugene Sibson and Lorna Gibson.  Memorial contributions can be made to Caring Circle Hospice in St. Joseph, Michigan, or to Hanson Hospice Center in Stevensville, Michigan.

Condolences, photos and memories may be left for Dorthy's family at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.

In keeping with her wishes, cremation has taken place.  A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Niles.