+ Jean Claire Farver +

January 11, 1946 — February 21, 2025

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 NASB95

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven— A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.

Psalm 23 ESV

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

John 14:1–6 NASB95

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. “And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

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Grace to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” Jn 14:1

Jesus used these words a few hours before his death to instruct his disciples on how not to be troubled at the time of death. He does not ask you to forgo your sorrow. He does not ask the impossible. Jesus is truly human, and is fully aware our human emotions. He, of course, is aware of the power of the resurrection as well, and yet, though He knew this He still shed tears at the death of his friend Lazarus.

Nevertheless, He urges us not to be troubled. How can that be?

Why Should We Not Be Anxious, Worried, When Faced with Death?

Well, there are three truths Jesus gave to His the disciples, and to you, for comfort at a moment like this.

I. Because God is Really Here for You to Believe In

Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God”—God, who created us and all that exists, who is the Almighty, who numbers the hairs of your heads, who clothes the lilies of the field, who knows when a sparrow falls to ground. He loves you more than all the things He created. You see, He gave his only Son to die for you, taking upon Himself the punishment and penalty of our sin. So, you can believe in God, who made and loved each one of us, to be with us. He also made and loved Jean.

The second truth Jesus gives to comfort us at a moment like this is,

II. Because Christ is a Real Savior for You to Believe In.

“Believe also in me,” Jesus said.

Remember when Jesus visited the sisters of Lazarus when he died? His calm assurance was

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25–26).

Also,

Watch as Jesus is crucified, and hear him say, “ ‘It is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30).

Believe that the death of Jesus paid for all sins of all time. He promised,

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 Jn 1:7).

And,

Hear the Easter message of the angel:

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay” (Mt 28:5–6).

Jean believed Christ gave her life — life to the full — in his resurrection, and her life was a witness to that faith. Her faithfulness Dave, and to her daughters and grandchildren —

As I heard yesterday during the family service, Jean had a wonderful sense of humor, and one might say she was the life of the party, always bringing laughter and joy wherever she went. Whether she was joking around with friends or sharing a laugh with loved ones, her infectious personality lifted everyone's spirits. She was also famous for her buns — homemade buns that is . . . she was a wonderful baker, which were always a hit at family gatherings and readily shared with friends. She had an ability to make everyone feel at home and cherished.

Above all, she loved being surrounded by her family and friends, making memories that will last for generations. Jean leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, and devotion. Her family, her church, and all who knew her will remember her for her unwavering love, her infectious laughter, and the warmth she shared with everyone she met. Her Lord Jesus truly gave her an abundant life.

All of you — especially you, Dave, and Deena, Joni, and Jayleen (Dustin); and grandchildren, Travis, Trina, Tamira, Elliot, Allison, Easton; and great-grandchild, Theo; brother, Wayne; sister; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins — remember Jean.

Remember her love and faithfulness to you and give thanks to God that He placed such an example in your life. Certainly your Mom and grandmother was not perfect, but I think one could say she epitomizes the idea of faithfulness and hard-working, while keeping your sense of humor.

The last truth Jesus gives to comfort us on a day like today:

III. Because There Really is a Place Prepared For You to Believe In.

Then Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” (Jn 14:2.

It’s foolish to think we fully understand this picture, but we know this Word of promise comes from the One who is the way, the truth, and the life. And so, because of this we can give thanks for Jean’s earthly life and her Christian witness. We rejoice in her victory, the gift of eternal life, and the crown of righteousness she will wear for all eternity.

“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Tim 4:8).

It is because of her Lord Jesus that Jean was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, and was a joy to be around. You see, Jean became a new creation in Christ when her Lord marked her as His own when He baptized her. Jean came through those waters, united to Christ her Lord, with a heart of faith, and love.

Some of you may be wondering, “What will we do now that she is no longer with us,” I want to assure you that your Lord Jesus promises that He will never leave nor abandon those who confess Him as Lord.

More specifically, Jesus will be with you and promises to do the following for you:

To strengthen your faith—so that you are not troubled by things we cannot understand, but will trust in almighty God, who made us his children through faith in Christ. “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (Jn 1:12).

To strengthen your hope. as you continue to listen to his words of truth and life. Jesus is the one who has you in his plan, in his arms, in his love. “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6).

To strengthen our love—to care for one another as Christ cares for you, to help you. “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. . . We love because he first loved us” (1 Jn 4:14, 19).

This is how Jesus comforts us and all his children. “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us” (1 Jn 5:14).

We give thanks for the life and love of Jean Claire Farver, and we give thanks to Jesus for loving her and for faithfully keeping His promises to her.

And now may we and at our last hour, trust in the comfort Christ has promised! Amen.

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With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved Jean Claire Farver, who peacefully left us on February 21, 2025 at the age of 79. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend who cherished her family above all else.

Jean was born January 11, 1946 to Lloyd and Irene (Grindeland) Bauste of Wildrose, ND. 

She attended and graduated from Wildrose High School in 1964. After graduation she worked at the Williston Herald until her marriage to Dave Farver in June 1968.

In September of 1968, Jean and Dave began their lives in Alexander, ND where Dave taught at Alexander Public School. Jean became a housewife and was very involved in the raising of her three daughters, Deena, Joni, and Jayleen.

Jean was deeply dedicated to her family. Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild were the light of her life, and she was always there to support, encourage, and celebrate every milestone. She took great pride in following her daughters' activities and cherished every moment spent with her growing family.

Jean was an active member of the church, where she was involved in a number of church activities, always offering her time and talents with love and devotion. Her faith was central to her life, and she touched countless others with her kindness, warmth, and generosity.

After her husband’s retirement, Jean and Dave moved to Williston, ND. She was thrilled to embark on new adventures with him. They enjoyed traveling to Alaska, New York, and other destinations, making unforgettable memories together and exploring new places side by side. They also made many trips to the Twin Cities, where they loved watching their grandchildren’s activities, always eager to cheer them on and be part of those special moments.

Known for her sense of humor, Jean was the life of the party, always bringing laughter and joy wherever she went. Whether she was joking around with friends or sharing a laugh with loved ones, her infectious personality lifted everyone's spirits. She was also famous for her homemade buns, which were always a hit at family gatherings and readily shared with friends. She had an ability to make everyone feel at home and cherished.

Jean had a playful side, enjoying the occasional trip to the Moose Lodge, where her love for a good gamble and friendly competition were always a part of the fun. But above all, she loved being surrounded by her family and friends, making memories that will last for generations.

She leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, and devotion. Her family, her church, and all who knew her will remember her for her unwavering love, her infectious laughter, and the warmth she shared with everyone she met.

Jean was preceded in death by parents, Lloyd and Irene; brothers, Dr. Larry Bauste, Robert (Bob) Bauste; brother-in-law, Loren Blikre; and parents-in-law, Jack and Lenora Farver.

She is survived by her husband, David; daughters, Deena Farver, Eagan, MN, Joni McLemore, New Brighton, MN, and Jayleen Farver (Dustin Partain), Maple Grove, MN; grandchildren, Travis McLemore, Trina McLemore, Tamira Coplin (Booker Coplin), Elliot Diaz, Allison Diaz, Easton Partain; great-grandchild, Theo McLemore; brother, Wayne Bauste; sister, Marilyn Blikre; sisters-in-law, Deanne Borgeson and Angelika Bauste; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

May she rest in peace, and may her laughter continue to echo in the hearts of those who loved her.