Robert E Fariss

Dr. Robert E. Bob Fariss passed away Saturday, May 28, 2005 at a local hospital. Services will be held at First United Methodist Church of Waco at 1:30 pm on Wednesday, June 1 with Rev. Stephen Ramsdale and Rev. Gene A. Moore officiating. Burial will follow at the Chilton Cemetery. Visitation will be 6-8 pm, Tuesday, May 31 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. Bob was born on October 22, 1920 in Whitewright, Grayson County, Texas to Gus Fariss and Zie Flowers Fariss. They moved to Chilton, Texas and bought a farm there. Bob was educated in the Chilton Independent School District. After graduation, he went to Rice University and received a BSChE in 1942. He worked for Dow Chemical for two years prior to joining the Navy. When the war ended, his ship was sent home by way of Shanghai, China where he met Inge Woislawski. He returned to Rice in 1946 and earned a PhD in chemistry. While a graduate student, he married Inge in 1948. He received his doctorate in 1950 and went to work for the Baroid Division of National Lead. While with Baroid, he supervised research and production of their organophilic clay products. In 1960, he moved to Valley Forge, PA to be director of research at Hulburt Oil and Grease which specialized in lubricants for the coal mining industry. He was made vice-president and general manager in 1964. In 1970, he moved to Waco, Texas and established the Specialty Lubricants Co. which specialized in oil and grease tailored for the Texas climate. His company was purchased in 1980 and he started working with the elderly doing tax returns with the Tax Aid for the Elderly program. He took a course on tax preparation from H&R Block and headed up the training of counselors for Tax Aide. After eleven years with the program, he retired because of health problems. Bob has been a lifelong Methodist. He was one of the original members of Fairhaven Methodist Church. While in Valley Forge, he joined the historic Valley Forge Methodist Church and served as lay leader and sometimes Sunday School teacher. When they returned to Texas, he joined the First United Methodist Church. Dr. Fariss is survived by his wife, Inge; daughter, Kathryn Susan Fariss Place and husband Richard of Woodway; sons, Robert Elwyn Fariss, Jr. and wife Leslie of Colleyville and James Stephen Fariss and wife Sandy of Torrance, Ca.; grandchildren, Brian Christopher Place and Laura Alison Place, Robert E. Fariss, III Trey and Heather Christine Fariss; sisters, Augusta Z Fariss of Waco and Fran Jackson of Grandview, WA.; several nieces and nephews. The family invites you to leave a message or memory at our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY