Mike Farran, a career of service

Saturday, March 4, 2017
While the song says, "I've been working on the railroad," Mike Farran, a rail buff, worked as a nurse and administrator for many years and presently serves on the Nevada Regional Medical Center board of directors. On March 4, the signals will be lit and the bell will sound as he and his wife, Shirley, celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Johannes Brann/Daily Mail

jbrann.ndm@gmail.com

Saturday, March 4, is Mike and Shirley Farran's 50th wedding anniversary. On the Monday prior, Mike sat down, not only to pay tribute to his wife but also to review his nursing career and his current service on the board of directors of the Nevada Regional Medical Center.

Farran was born and raised in Parsons Kan., graduating from its high school in 1965. The son of Howard and Nola Farran, he had two brothers Howard and Jerry.

"The draft was on for the Vietnam War and I and some buddies decided to enlist," said Farran.

After notifying the draft board of their desire, they were sent to Kansas City for processing.

Shaking his head, Farran said, "My friends couldn't believe it when they actually rejected me."

The reason? Flat feet.

This allowed Farran to work full time in a job he had been doing part time since he was a junior in high school, serving as an orderly at Labette Community Medical Center.

"They had just opened that facility, which was about the time they opened the new hospital in Nevada," added Farran.

In 1966, while working at LCMC, Farran met Shirley Shaw. She was a graduate nurse who had just completed her training at Mercy School of Nursing in Fort Scott.

Asked what caught his eye he did admit she was "easy on the eyes" but then told what made her stand out. "She was genuine. There is nothing phony about her. She has the biggest heart. And she was just meant to take care of people."

Shirley was raised on a farm in the Bronaugh area, along with brothers Kennon and Radean as well as younger sister Saundra Bogart. She learned you work for something to have something.

"My wife had a good upbringing on the farm but she never understood why the girls had to get out of the cab of the truck and open and close the gates for the men," said Farran.

Once Shirley completed her licensure she was a charge nurse in the medical wing at LCMC.

Shortly after the couple was married in Arcadia Kan., Mike's brother, Jerry, invited his younger brother to get a better job by applying to the General Electric plant in Arkansas City, south of Wichita. Jerry worked there and helped his brother get a job, which turned out to be the lowest one in the plant, putting metal through an acid bath to strip off paint.

"As you're about to learn, we lived and worked at several different places," said Farran. "but no matter where we went, Shirley was always able to get a good job. Back then and still today, good nurses are in demand."

The Farrans were in Wichita from 1969-71, at which time, Mike went to school at Labette Community College and obtained his associate degree in nursing, finishing up in the summer of 1973.

Farran obtained a position at what was then the Nevada City Hospital.

"I worked as a glorified orderly, providing basic care and hygiene of patients," said Farran.

He developed such an enduring relationship with then Director of Nursing, Martha Barone, that after she died, her children asked Farran to organize the auction of her things.

Martha Barone and Shirley Farran encouraged Mike to further his nursing education.

"Even though we had two young children at the time -- Buddy Allen and Pauline Marie -- my wife was with me all the way," said Farran. "And you know, when a man has that kind of support, he can endure or accomplish most anything."

That was also the time when Farran and his wife made sure their shifts allowed one parent always to be home with the children.

Farran became a registered nurse and credentialed in geriatric nursing, going to work for what was the Moore-Few Nursing Home. He became director of nursing for the then 88-bed facility, located in the old hospital and was there from 1973-78.

In 1978, Farran took a position titled Graduate Nurse-4 at the Nevada Habilitation Center. Some time later, his wife took the position of Graduate Nurse-5 at the same facility.

"Shirley and I are each other's biggest cheerleaders," said Farran. "There was never a case of jealousy, for after all, when it comes to technical skills and a wonderful way of caring, none beat my wife."

Farran worked again at Moore-Few from 1984-87.

While the director of the hospital was over both the hospital and nursing home, a change in the rules mandated someone with an administrator's license be on site for any nursing home. Farran continued his education and obtained that license.

"When the present Moore-Few facility was built, some land was donated by he Ewing family," said Farran. "Plans called for it to be larger but once things got underway, they found they needed to save about $100,000 and so they eliminated the additional private rooms on the north end."

In 1987, Farran became the director of nursing at city hospital, which was then a 100-bed acute care facility.

About this time Farran and his wife began to think seriously about a pension. While Shirley was already working at the Habilitation Center, Farran was able to get hired on in another area of that facility and eventually obtained about 20 years of service and a pension through the Missouri Local Government Retirement System.

Retired now, for about a decade, Farran has significantly remodeled and added on to their home.

He had a 1993 custom soft-tail Harley-Davidson motorcycle, which he rode for years.

"Thankfully, I got run over only once."

The bike has been restored and entrusted to his son and grandson.

And as to grandchildren, Mike and Shirley have three. Michael Allen is Buddy's son and lives in Lacrosse, Wis. Daughter Pauline has two children, Elienor and Catherine. The older one is in her first year at Pittsburg State University while the younger is still in high school.

"The Nevada school system has worked great for our family," said Farran. "It's been great to watch how the vo-tech center has expanded."

Daughter Pauline's husband is James Pruitt, who heads up the welding program at the Nevada Regional Technical Center.

One thing which cannot be missed at the Farran home is the railroad crossing sign and bell on a pole, set into a concrete base in front of his workshop.

In a room containing a pool table are two walls filled with railroad artifacts. There is a restored bench, which once was at the depot in Nevada, a collection of railroad spittoons, a working caboose stove and all manner of signs from Missouri-Kansas-Texas and Missouri Pacific railroads.

The workshop walls contain signs from the two restaurants Mike and Shirley have operated over the years.

Farran is currently a member of the board of directors for Nevada Regional Medical Center. He was recruited when Dr. Turner left the board.

"When the city of Nevada hired Quorum [Health Resources] to manage the hospital, their president came and said, 'We won't be doing what we've been doing because things in the hospital world have changed," said Farran. "And that was so right. Hospitals, including ours here, have to operate in a system that's far different from what I served in."

Farran paused and then added, "But this much hasn't changed, patients come first. I believe in our hospital and one way or another, it will be here to deliver good care for the people of this area."

He then added he needed to go and get a few things ready.

Farran said, "Come Saturday, it'll be our 50th and we're gonna celebrate."

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: