AMARILLO A tribute honoring Texas Agricultural Extension Service career professional Sue Farris will be held here April 16. Farris supervised family and consumer science agents in 20 counties of the Texas Panhandle for more than 20 years.
The event Sunday will be hosted by long-time friends and associates and includes a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Texas A&M Research and Extension Center, 6500 Amarillo Boulevard West.
Farris left Amarillo in 1987 to become FCS director in the Northeast Texas district with headquarters at Texas A&M’s Overton Center. According to Donna Brauchi, current Extension FCS director in Amarillo, Ferris’ leadership and advocacy for families and youth was inspiring.
“Her dedication to adult and youth education has resulted in many outstanding programs across the state, provided by county agents and volunteers she helped train. Many of us were hired by Sue and consider her our mentor,” Brauchi said.
Farris’ Extension Service career began in 1954 and spanned 46 years by her official retirement date, April 1. Before moving to the Texas Panhandle in 1967, Ferris was a home demonstration agent in Marion and Harrison counties.
She earned a master’s degree in agricultural education from Texas A&M University and bachelor’s degree in home economics education from Texas Woman’s University. She holds memberships in the national and state professional associations for family and consumer sciences, formerly home economics and the national Extension Service professionals’ society, Epsilon Sigma Phi.
In 1974, Farris received the prestigious Superior Service Award from the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Her peers in the national Extension Home Economists Association honored Farris with the Distinguished Service Award for outstanding educational programs and leadership development.
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