Chuck Farrington
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 5B - March 27, 2012
Chuck "Hard Way" Farrington,
formerly of Craig and Grand
Junction, died in his sleep Saturday,
March 24, 2012. He was 87.
C h u c k w a s b o r n Ma r c h 3 0 ,
1924, to George and Grace (Bart
o n ) F a r r i n g t o n . H e w a s t h e
youngest of five children: Alice,
Pete, Eleanor and Lillian.
He married Zelma Lloyd in
1943, and together they created three children, Charlotte, Benny and
Shirley.
As a young man he tended to the family ranch. When Chuck was
13 he went to work in the Black Diamond Coal Mine, which is
where his lifelong career of coal mining began.
Chuck served in the U.S. Army and fought in the Battle of the
Bulge under General George S. Patton and was hit with shrapnel.
Weeks after being hit, he was told he would never walk again. He
defied all odds and not only walked again, but returned to the war
before coming home.
He later purchased Cedar Canyon Coal Company. In 1963, the
mine caved in. He was able to get his employees out, but he was
crushed by a boulder. He rehabilitated for two years, and in 1965,
moved his family to Axial (Streeter), where they lived on the property
of Colowyo Coal Mine. He earned the nickname "Hard Way
Farrington" at Colowyo. He retired from Colowyo in 1989. In 1990,
he and Zelma moved to Grand Junction.
Chuck was an avid gardener. He and Zelma lived retirement to the
fullest, enjoying cruises and several trips to Branson, MO, and many
other trips around the country. Between trips, Chuck's family often
found him in his woodshop, building beautiful furniture for family
members.
He is survived by his children, Charlotte (Louis) Ketchum; Benny
(Becky) Farrington, and Shirley (Matt) McCarthy; grandchildren,
Clint (Shelly) Farrington, Tisha (Doyle) Mann and Shannon (Matt
Moore) Russell, and great-grandchildren, Morgan Shrum, Adain
Russell and Nathan Mann.
He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, brother and sisters.
Memorial services for Chuck will take place at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday,
March 28, 2012, at Grand Junction Memorial Gardens, 2970 N.
Ave., in Grand Junction. For information call Martin Mortuary.
