| Graduation Year | Class of 1996 |
| Date of Passing | Nov 08, 2009 |
| About | * Leader Telegram Farrah Stender * Story Share This Share Send this page to your friends Create a hardcopy of this page Font Size: Default font size Larger font size Posted: Monday, November 9, 2009 11:00 pm | Updated: . | 0 comments Farrah Kay Stender, age 32, of Menomonie passed away peacefully at home Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, after a courageous six-month battle with brain cancer. Her husband and parents were at her side. She was born Sept. 12, 1977, at Memorial Hospital, Menomonie, to Eric and Jan (Rudd) Friest. She attended East and Little Elk Creek elementary schools and graduated from Menomonie High School in 1996. She graduated with honors from UW-Stout in Menomonie in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in early childhood education, taught summer school for many summers in the Menomonie school district and worked at Lucas Charter School for two years. She served eight years in the U.S. Army Reserve, graduating from boot camp at Ft. Jackson, S.C., training at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, and serving out of Wabasha, Minn. She was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant in 2007. Farrah married Matthew Stender on March 6, 1999, at New Life Church of the Nazarene in Wheeler. They lived in Menomonie. She grew up in the Menomonie United Methodist Church and recently became a member of Cedarbrook Church, Menomonie. Farrah is survived by her husband, Matt; children, Tessa, Tori and Colt; her parents; brother, Matthew (Missy) Friest; nieces, Mackayla and Mackenzie Friest; in-laws, Chuck and Sharon Stender; brother-in-law, Scott (Stacy) Stender; grandparents, Carol Rudd of Janesville, Warren and Ardene Friest of Rockford, Ill., and Harold and Jeanette Hansen of Watertown, S.D. She also is survived by aunts, June (Paul) Damrow of Roseville, Minn., Jane (Rick) Parod of Elkhorn, Neb., and Tanis (Roosevelt Toney) Hansen of Stockton, Calif.; uncles, Jim (Deb) Rudd of Neenah, Gary (Karen) Hansen of Chatfield, Minn., and Milan (Linda) Hansen of Washington Court House, Ohio; cousins, Adam, Dave and Stacey Parod, Kelly (Dan) Kueffer, Tim Damrow, and Julie and Greg Rudd; and great-aunts, Betty Lou (Duane) Teuscher of The Woodlands, Texas, Jeraldine (Jim) Gordee of Monroe and Frances (Bill) Colwell of Ft. Worth, Texas. She was preceded in death by her grandfather, Clarence Rudd of Janesville; and special great-great-aunt, Lela Gross of Janesville. Her dogs, Speedy and Jesse, preceded her in the weeks immediately before her death. Farrah will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Her children and family were the joy of her life. She was a strong person in so many ways, donating her hair many time to Locks of Love before cancer treatments "got to it," her blood (over one gallon) to the American Red Cross, and her time to Knapp Elementary School. Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society, 2427 N. Hillcrest Parkway, Altoona, WI 54720; Hope Lodge, 411 2nd St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901; Cedarbrook Church, 1501 N. Broadway St., Menomonie, WI 54751; Dunn County Humane Society, 302 Brickyard Road, Menomonie, WI 54751; Northwest Wisconsin HomeCare (Hospice), 1515 Stout Road, Menomonie, WI 54751; or to the family for Farrah's children. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, at the United Methodist Church, 2703 Bongey Drive, Menomonie, followed by a memorial service at 7 p.m., with Pastor Remy Diederich officiating. Flag presentation will be conducted by Menomonie Veterans Honor Guard. Olson Funeral Home, Menomonie, is serving the family. To express condolences online, please visit obituaries at www.olsonfuneral.com. |
