Obituary of Lee J. Farnsworth

Lee J. Farnsworth, 99, formerly of 2414 Friendship Street, Iowa City died Friday evening at the Lantern Park Nursing and Rehab Center, Coralville following an extended illness. Memorial services will be held, 10:00 a.m.,Wednesday, March 2, 2005 at the First Baptist Church in Iowa City with the Reverend Wallace Bubar officiating.. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be given to the Lee J. Farnsworth Memorial. Lee was born December 1, 1905 in rural Johnson County to John and Cora (Reed) Farnsworth. He attended rural school in Johnson County and was a member of the 1925 graduating class of City High School, Iowa City. Lee graduated from the University Of Iowa College Of Law. In 1935 he began his law practice in Iowa City. Lee entered the United States Army in 1943, serving in the South Pacific before going to OPA in Des Moines. From 1950 to 1954 he continued his practice of law for the United States government in Washington, DC. Lee returned to Iowa in 1954 and practiced law in Waterloo and Sioux City before moving to Denison in 1958, retiring in 1974 in Iowa City. On June 8, 1949 he married Mary Elizabeth Smith in Lincoln, Nebraska. Lee enjoyed woodworking and the making of clocks and jewelry, his projects included three grandfather clocks and many pairs of earrings for the ladies of his family. Lee was a member of the First Baptist Church in Iowa City. Lee’s family includes his wife Mary (now residing at Melrose Meadows, 350 Dublin Drive, Iowa City), two sons, Jack and wife Jamie of Mattituck, New York and Steve and his wife Paula Catterall of Medina, Ohio, a grandson, Jackson of Mattituck, New York and two granddaughters, Lori and husband Paul Schmier of West Milford, New Jersey and Kris and husband Evan Flashner of Newburyport, Massachusetts, three great-grandsons Travis, Jake and Braden Leary and a great-granddaughter, Hayley Schmier. Lee was preceded in death by four brothers and three sisters.