Darell Joe Farnbach

Darell Joe Farnbach passed away at home on March 14 in Temecula, California after a long illness. His parents Gerald Farnbach and Alberta Johnson and his brother Garry Farnbach preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife Rebecca, sister Donna Reese of Bishop, California, brother Robert Farnbach of Ukiah, California, and stepsiblings Sheila Brooks of Ukiah, California, and David Brooks of Sacramento, California. He leaves children Todd (Marta) of Medford, Oregon, Darya (Richard) of Fairhaven, Vermont, stepson Andrew Marshall of Temecula, California, stepdaughter Abigail Juarez (Ladislao) of Wildomar, California, grandchildren Terran and Taj Farnbach, and Natalia Kartaszynska, five step-grandchildren, and several nephews and nieces.

Darell was born in White Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles on April 14, 1942 and lived in many places throughout California during his life, most recently in Temecula for the past forty years.

Darell was a hairstylist by career which included time as an instructor at Monrovia Beauty College and as the owner of Darell’s Hair Studio in Arcadia, California and The Pink Caddy in Temecula.

Darell married Ramona Rubio in 1965 and was drafted into the US Army in 1966. He served as battery clerk in ­­­­­Schweinfurt, Germany, where his daughter Darya was born. In 1981 the family with the addition of Todd, moved to Temecula where Darell and Ramona joined with another couple to form the Farnbach Aldstadt Design Company to do interior design work in the fast-growing city.

After his first marriage ended, Darell married Rebecca Farnbach and helped her raise her two teenaged children Andrew and Abigail Marshall. In addition to working fulltime, Darell and Rebecca advocated to save a local historical site called the Vail Headquarters, which included a lawsuit in which Darell was a plaintiff. The suit was settled in favor of restoring the historical site and Darell spent many hours each week overseeing the restoration, as well as setting up a small museum called the Little Temecula History Center.

The Temecula Chamber of Commerce named the Farnbachs the 2019 Citizen of the Year and in 2021 their names were placed on the Wall of Honor in the Temecula City Hall.

Darell collected and restored classic cars and for many years owned five classic cars. In 2019 his red 1972 Mustang Convertible was featured in Mustang Monthly magazine. Darell had many close friends who also enjoyed classic cars, most notably the Drifters Car Club members.

Darell was proud to have been part of the restoration of Vail Headquarters, now a thriving community center, but he said his best legacy was his children. He was loved by many in the community and will be long remembered by the third-grade students who took bumpy rides in Darell’s Model A at Vail Headquarters during field trips.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Temecula Valley Historical Society, P.O. Box 157, Temecula, CA 92593.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to England Family Mortuary, Inc.