Long time China business owner Carl Farris dies at 79

CHINA – Carl Farris, 79, passed away on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, following a long battle with MS. He was born in Waterville, June 6, 1946, His parents were Merlon and Yvonne Dosie Farris, of China.

He attended China schools and Winslow High School. He grew up on and helping the family on the farm on Pleasant View Ridge, in China, milking cows, haying the fields and cleaning out the barns. He started working for Parmenter’s in the chicken business across the road at age 15, collecting eggs and other jobs on their farm. At 17 he started working for Ron Bickford Construction building chicken houses. For the first two years he just carried lumber but at about age 19 they gave him a hammer, and he was off and running as a carpenter and it set the course for rest of his life.

In 1967 when he was 21, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He said the three-year stint in the military changed his life forever. He was first sent to Fort Jackson, in South Carolina, and then to Fort Knox, Kentucky. He had one month off at home before being sent to Xuan Loe, Vietnam, with the rank of specialist, and right into the rice paddies. He and his group then went to Saigon, where he was wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade that struck the vehicle he was driving. The tank commander and one gunner were killed. He was flown by chopper to a hospital for two weeks with shrapnel in his chest.

When he was released from the hospital, he was sent to the Ho Bo woods, in Binh Durong Province. He was again driving when land mines exploded all around them. He was again flown by chopper to a hospital to recover but at the time he was only 15 days from finishing his tour of duty so he returned to base camp. He received two Purple Hearts for being wounded twice. As most Vietnam veterans, he struggled with the reason for the fighting and the reception they received upon their return, but he proudly wore his Vietnam Veterans hat. On July 1, 1972, he married Phyllis Lucas, in Readfield, and they raised their two daughters in his grandparents’ home.

After Vietnam he started working in the construction business with his brother Earl until 1976 when he and Phyllis started their own construction company. He built hundreds of buildings including barns, houses, business buildings, garages, etc., as a contractor. In 1978 they build their first spec house. He began to dream about opening a lumber yard in China and along with Phyllis realized that dream and opened the lumber business September 14, 1987. They had a full-service lumber business but expanded into other areas, a door shop, a truss shop building trusses especially for garages, they began a metal roofing business and in the middle of that a large bargain barn store. As the business grew they built all of the necessary 40,000 square foot lumber barns and other buildings that were needed for the expanding business. Carl worked seven days a week even after being debilitated with his multiple sclerosis and being confined to a motorized chair. He learned to work hard by growing up on a dairy farm. Several of his employees have been with the business almost from the beginning. He had the ability to keep all kinds of projects and deals in his head. He was always interested in his customers and was generous with his advice from the things he learned from the many years of experience in the construction business. He attributed the success of the business to his dedicated wife and hardworking and loyal employees.

Carl was predeceased by his parents.

He is survived by his wife Phyllis; his daughters Lindsay Weirich and husband Jayson, and Bryann Farris and husband Ronald Mattingly; his grandchildren Jack, Lila, Maizy, and Mason; his brothers Nelson and Sharon Farris and Earl and Carol Farris as well as their families.

There are no public visiting hours. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 16, at 10 a.m., at the Sukeforth Center China Lake Camp and Conference Center, 255 Neck Road, China, ME. Burial will be at a later date.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Plummer Funeral Home, 16 Pleasant St., Augusta, ME.

Condolences, stories and photos may be shared at www.plummerfh.com.