James Rayford "Jim" Farris, Jr.

James Rayford Farris, Jr., 71, of Norman, Oklahoma, passed away Friday, April 15, 2022, at Norman Regional Hospital surrounded by his family. He was born September 20, 1950, in Hobart, OK to James Rayford Farris, Sr. and Ovella Nadine (Weber) Farris.

At age 3, the family moved to Norman, OK. They were members of the First Baptist Church of Norman where he was baptized at the age of 10. He graduated from Norman High School, Class of 1968.

After high school, Jim graduated from United Electronic Institute in Dallas, Texas. He worked at TD’s Radio & TV in Norman, OK. He sold and repaired tv’s, sold and installed two-way radios and antennas. The business was purchased by Leon’s Radio in 2004 and they only sold, serviced, and installed 2-way radios and antennas. In 2012, the business was purchased by Chickasaw Personal Communications. He retired January 2016.

He married Deborah (Debbie) Mae Hunt on May 6, 1972, at the First Church of the Nazarene, Norman, OK. They purchased their first home on a 2 ½ acre lot July 1976 in Blanchard, OK just north of town. They were blessed with a daughter about 3 months later; a son 6 years later, and their little family was complete. He told his children often that he loved them and spent as much time as possible helping or watching all their activities and sports.

In 1978, a neighbor introduced him to radio control airplanes. Soon after, he joined the Central Oklahoma Radio Control Society (CORCS) AMA Club Charter # 1496 in Norman, Oklahoma. He was a very active member and served in many ways, including President. The club certified him as an instructor early on where he taught over 100 students how to fly. He shared his love of building and flying RC airplanes with anyone who was interested. He had tremendous skill when it came to repairing RC airplanes that encountered mishaps. Friends would work alongside him and re-store planes so well, you could hardly tell they had ever been damaged. He cultivated countless lifetime friendships with club members and beyond.

In September 1998, Jim and Debbie moved back to Norman, OK. A few short years later they welcomed their first grandchild in 2004. Over the next six and a half years they would welcome a total of five precious grandchildren and their growing family was complete again. As the grandchildren got older, he would feed them their favorite food when they arrived at the house. Lately, he was either serving up pulled pork sandwiches, cheeseburgers, or tacos with his famous “made from scratch” taco meat. Some of his most precious moments were watching the grandchildren play their favorite sports. He always showed his love and told each one how proud he was of them.

He loved fishing and hunting with family and friends, always excited from his successes and theirs. Lake Eufaula is where he wanted to be all the time. He taught his children how to ski, drive the boat and the jet skis. Best memories were fishing with the grandsons. He also loved riding jet skis and driving the boat, often using one or the other to pull grandchildren on a 3-seater towable float.

Jim and Debbie loved to travel, mostly by car. Together, they traveled across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Over the past 10 years, they traveled through all the contiguous United States and five Provinces in Canada from Ontario to British Columbia. Jim loved beaches and being around the ocean. Key West, FL, was a favorite destination.

Jim was smart, charismatic, fun, literal, and like a magnet, people were just drawn to him. He shared his knowledge with those all around him. His children knew him as “Mr. Dictionary”, the name given to him by his daughter during her junior high years. He knew everything and he was always “right”. He learned a lot from his dad and could figure out how to make, repair or fix most anything. He would help anyone who needed help, they didn’t even have to ask. His mother was a fantastic cook. He learned from her and was always coming up with new yummy dishes.

He will certainly be missed by all who knew him, but the ones that will miss him the most is his loving wife along with the ones that called him Dad, Papa, brother, uncle, or friend.

Jim is survived by his wife Debbie of the home, daughter Kelly (Farris) Wilson, husband Travis, children Nathan, Natalie and Carter, Norman, OK; son Jimmy Farris, wife Celina, children Jack and Gabriel, Ada, OK; sister Patricia (Farris) Roberts, husband David, Fayetteville, AR; brother Billy Farris, Norman, OK; sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, aunt and uncle, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who fondly loved him.

He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, father-in-law, and mother-in-law.

Consider donations in lieu of flowers to: CORCS, P.O. Box 5554, Norman, OK 73070