General Manager at Forest Hills Memory Gardens and Funeral Director Intern at Farris Funeral Service
Meet David Farris II, a lifelong resident of Abingdon who truly grew up in the funeral service. As the General Manager of Forest Hills and a Funeral Director Intern, David has been involved in the family business since he was 12, starting with washing cars and odd jobs. He’s been actively involved in management for over 34 years, making service to this community his life's work.
David was drawn to the funeral home out of a deep love for his community and the unique ability to serve families during their most difficult moments. He is especially proud to work alongside his high school sweetheart and wife, Sonya Farris. They are the fourth married couple in his family to serve together—a true testament to their dedication!
David’s professional mission is to work with staff to help families create services that are as unique and special as the loved one they're honoring. He believes every detail matters in planning services – a trait that was passed to him from his grandfather. David is also a member of the Washington County Rotary Club and the Virginia Cemetery Board which is tasked with regulating for-profit cemeteries.
When he's not working, David is a history enthusiast who enjoys reading about the Civil War and WWII and visiting historical sites. He loves classic rock and bluegrass and has a fascinating hobby: collecting and reading about vintage baseball memorabilia from the first half of the 20th century. He's already visited 26 of the 30 Major League Baseball parks and plans to hit them all!
David and Sonya have four adult children, and their house is run by their Mini-Australian Shepherd, Annie, and three cats. With his interest in history, David and Sonya also volunteer to help maintain the town's historical cemetery, where burials date back to the 1700s.
