Miriam Farrington

The matriarch of our family, Miriam Knight Farrington, 93, of Denver, passed away peacefully on December 7, 2022, surrounded by her five children and in the hearts of her ten grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

Miriam Kathleen Knight was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 17, 1929, to Henry Newton Knight and Kathleen Coughlin Knight.  Her father had a dental practice in Jacksonville, Illinois, and her mother was a homemaker.

Miriam attended Our Savior Grade School in Jacksonville where she received the American Legion Award upon graduation.  The award was given to one student who exemplifies six qualities that define character: courage, honor, leadership, patriotism, scholarship and service. Miriam displayed those qualities throughout her life and was proud when her younger brother and sister received the award years later.

Miriam went to Routt College High School where she was in glee club, theatre, cheerleading and was an editor of the school magazine, The Wag.

Miriam met O’Neill Farrington on a double date while visiting her aunt is St. Louis.  They dated long distance during her junior and senior year of high school and continued their relationship while she attended Webster College in St. Louis.

Miriam and Neill married in 1950 and moved to Austin, Texas, the following year where Neill served with the Air National Guard during the Korean War.  They started their family in Texas and moved back to St. Louis where Neill worked in his family’s furniture business.  Miriam stayed home with three more children and they added their fifth child while living in Chicago for a year.

The family lived in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for several years before they settled back in St. Louis in 1965.

Miriam worked in real estate for many years with Gladys Manion Real Estate and Laura McCarthy Real Estate.  She loved finding homes for her clients and many of them became life long friends.

Miriam filled the family home with music. Big band, Broadway, the Beatles, Madame Butterfly…she listened and sang to every song.  Music and theatre were her passion.  She sang for 10 years with the River Blenders, a Sweet Adeline chorus.

When Miriam and Neill moved to Naples, FL in 1990, she found another avenue to experience her passions.  She co-directed five Wyndemere Follies and volunteered at the Sugden Community Theatre.

While in her retirement, Miriam gathered her twenty years of genealogical research and wrote a book titled Tied to the Past. She said the book was one of her proudest accomplishments. The inspiration for her book was from her grandmother, Nora Griffin, who came to America alone at age 16 and told her stories of Ireland.

Miriam was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved brother David Edward Knight (1960) and her devoted husband of 63 years, O’Neill Farrington, Jr. (2013).

She is survived by her children:  Kay Brouillette (Chuck Halaska), Neill Farrington, Chris Fullerton (David), Anne LaRue (Troy) and Patrick Farrington (Jana); her grandchildren:  Christy Tincknell (Tim), Ryan Brouillette (Kim), David Brouillette (Grace), Gregory Brouillette (Betsy), Michael Farrington (Morgan), Timothy Farrington (Ana), Patrick Fullerton (Shana-Kay), Dan Fullerton (Morgan), Jessica Jaeger (Chris) and Jared LaRue; and her great-grandchildren: Jack, Gracie, Olivia, Willow, Julia, Thomas, Jayne, Emerson, Truman, Scarlett, Clara, Graham, Benji, Griffin, Simone, Brooks, Daniel, Charlie, Xander, Madeline, Celeste and Noah.

In addition, she is survived by her sister Barbara Gatsche, brother-in-law Robert Gatsche, niece Beth Gatsche, nephew Mike Gatsche and great niece and nephews.

A private family burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Jacksonville, IL.  Donations in her name may be made to:  Berkley Hospice, 10697 E. Dartmouth Avenue, Aurora, CO 80014 or Cardinal Glennon Childrens’ Hospital, 3800 Park Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110.

Miriam’s family extends their heartfelt thanks to the caretakers at Clermont Park and Berkley Hospice and to our special friends, Wendy Denton and Claudia Villalpando.