Jillian Noel Farley, age 36, of Woodstock, Georgia, beloved daughter and friend, transitioned peacefully to Heaven on April 5, 2021, after a difficult three-year battle with stage four metastatic gastrointestinal cancer.

Jillian was preceded in death by her father, Harold Dean Farley, paternal grandparents, Edward and Ruby Farley, and maternal grandparents, Basil and Emma Sikes.  Jillian is survived by her mother, Cheryl "Deshone" Farley of Woodstock, Georgia, her maternal uncle and aunt, Jason and Kathy Sikes of Florence, Texas and their children, Christie (husband Will), Stephanie (husband Chris), Katie, and Kaleb, a host of loving cousins, and her two beloved dogs, Stitch and Macy.

After 21 hours of labor and an emergency C-section delivery, Jillian took her first breath and announced her arrival on December 26, 1984, at 1:57 a.m. in Beeville Memorial Hospital in Beeville, Texas.  She met her Daddy first and was then placed in an incubator where she thought she needed to exit again, crawling to the top, bumping into the end, pushing to get out…and her journey continued.

Joining her parents in the Gospel music ministry, she made her singing debut at age three. Her passion for music and travel grew as she participated in revival services, children's choir, Crabapple and Woodstock Middle and High School chorus, Rhapsody Show Choir, Georgia All-State Choir, Georgia Regional Girls' Choir, and opportunities to perform at Carnegie Hall, Disney World, and on Carnival Fantasy Cruise.  Jillian also participated in high school drama productions as a member of the stage crew.

Jillian's entrepreneurial skills developed in elementary school after she researched and took a hospital-sponsored course to become a Certified Baby Sitter. Whatever Jillian did, she added a layer of special lovingkindness, so it was not surprising that she traveled with a "Kid Kit" full of fun activities and projects to share with the children she babysat.  She loved children and continued to serve as a nanny through college.  As a Girl Scout, Jillian developed a love for community service opportunities, including personal projects of helping disabled veterans in her neighborhood with their laundry and feeding the homeless and immigrant families.  She earned the Girl Scout Silver Award for her project "More Than Just Cookies" and was the top cookie seller for the Roswell Service Unit.

Jillian worked at Melissa's Hallmark for five years, beginning her Senior year of high school.  She graduated with the Class of 2003 from Woodstock High School.  In 2007, while earning her Bachelor of Science Degree at Kennesaw State University, she joined Omega Phi Alpha, a national service sorority.  She cultivated life-long friendships with sorority sisters who shared her love of giving, serving, traveling, and Disney!  Her study-abroad trip to Amsterdam and The Hague allowed for a weekend trip to … Disney Paris!  Since graduation from KSU in 2009, Jillian's sorority sisters remained close and have been truly loving, attentive, and generous during her illness and treatment.

In 2010 Jillian was hired as an Administrative Assistant at Walle Corporation. She advanced to Senior Accounting Clerk in 2012 and in 2014 was promoted to Accounts Receivable Administrator and Billing Manager. She remained in that position until the acquisition of the company by Fort Dearborn Company and the closure of the corporate office in December 2020.

Jillian was a fan of Alabama football (Roll Tide!), Braves baseball (cheap seats between home and first base), concerts (NSYNC, Rascal Flatts, Celine Dion, Garth, Trisha, Carrie, Vince, and the Gaithers, just to name a few), stage productions and Disney cruises.  She ran two Disney marathons and qualified for the Peachtree Road Race but was not chosen in the lottery.

Jillian became an active member of Woodstock First Baptist Church in 2002, having made her public commitment to Christ as a young child, joining the youth group and making her place in the family of forever friends as they navigated their young single years with growing love and appreciation for each other, the faithfulness of God and joy of serving.  She participated in LoveLoud and Night to Shine each year possible. She traveled to South Africa and Southeast Asia on mission trips to share her love and faith.  Jillian developed a personal interest in supporting the Operation Christmas Child program of Samaritan's Purse.  When her health allowed, she shopped throughout the year to fill shoeboxes, increasing her goal each year. With the help and patience of several dear friends, she was able to fill and send 68 shoeboxes that went to children in Cameroon.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to any of these ministries:

https://blazeinternational.org (provides counseling for missionaries in the field)

https://www.hope2africa.com (provides help and training for young people in South Africa)

https://www.globalyear.org (Please choose "Popeye & Olive Oil" who serve in an undisclosed area)

https://www.samaritanspurse.org (Operation Christmas Child)

Those wishing to send online condolences may do so at www.lakesidefuneralhomega.com

Lakeside Funeral Home 121 Claremore Drive, Woodstock, GA 30188 ph. 770) 293-2757 is honored to assist the Farley family.