FEFFER, James Kuhn

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Wednesday, July 14, 2010 Joseph Kuhn Feffer passed away July 10, 2010. He was born in Springfield, Ill., on Dec. 18, 1924, to Frank Marion Feffer and Carolyn Kuhn Feffer, moving to Phoenix in 1935 where Joe's father and grandfather, Jacob Feffer, started Arizona Fertilizer Co., which became Arizona Agrochem. Joe attended North High School, was on a state championship beef-judging team and in the FFA, and worked weekends for Ray Cowden Livestock Co. in Hollison. After completing high school, Norman Palmer mentored Joe on a ranch in Wilcox. Joe served as a Signalman Second Class aboard the U.S.S. Ranger in the South Pacific during WWII. He attended UC Davis from 1946 to 1950 where he met Lydia Francis Parrott. They were married on Aug. 22, 1948. Joe graduated with degrees in agriculture, animal science and animal nutrition. Daughter Leighan was born on May 24, 1950. For the next few years, Joe managed a ranch for Wolf Brothers Cattle Co. near Albion, Neb.; was assistant feedlot manager for Western Farm Management near Chandler; and managed the TK-Bar and P-Bar Ranches in Yavapai County. Son Martin was born on March 10, 1954. Joe opened Wagon Wrench Cattle Co. cattle-trading operation in Yuma, Ariz., and daughter Katha was born Aug. 7, 1957. Joe moved his family to Brawley, Calif., in 1959, and in 1963, he joined Joe and Louie Anderholt as feedlot manager in a farming and cattle-feeding operation in Holtville, Calif., later known as Far Western Ag. Industries. In 1980, he became chief of livestock marketing and feedyard advisor with Chemonics Inc. of Phoenix and Washington, D.C., in contract with USAID to develop a cattle-feeding operation in Mali, Africa. Over the next five years, Joe worked in numerous capacities for Chemonics throughout NW Africa. In 1986, he and Lydia returned to Washington and Joe worked on consulting projects in Honduras, Thailand and Oman for Chemonics. They moved back overseas in 1989 where Joe served as director of an American/Senegalese diversified agricultural project. In 1992, they returned to the U.S. and Joe worked in New York City for the Sumitomo Bank, reviewing commercial loans while completing a master's program in management from Pacific Western University. Joe and Lydia moved back to Dewey, Ariz., in 1993 to resume his cattle trading, gradually entering semi-retirement until his death on July 10, 2010. He is survived by Lydia, his loving wife of 62 years; children Leighan Seybert, Martin Feffer and Katha Cato; his five grandchildren, Audrey and Carson Seybert, Robin Feffer, and Victoria and Jessica Cato; and his brother Frank Feffer of Phoenix. A memorial will be from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 17, 2010, at Moon Valley Country Club, 151 West Moon Valley Drive, Phoenix, Ariz. The family request donations in lieu of flowers be made to Clark Seybert Memorial BUHS Athletic Scholarship, P.O. Box 61, Brawley, CA 92227, or Henry Street Settlement After-School Services, 301 Henry Street, NY, NY 10002. Information provided by survivors.