Our beloved boss passed away and he will be greatly missed. We are thankful for his life and for sharing his wisdom with us so we can continue the business that he created that has served so many. RIP Doug, we love you.
The legendary Douglas Raymond Farnik, age 70, passed away Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, from a severe heart attack at his home in Joshua Tree.
Doug was born in Havre, Montana, on Feb. 23, 1948, son of Joseph and Dorothy Farnik.
He was raised on a farm 8 miles north of a small rural town, Hingham, population 150.
He loved animals: cows, pigs, chickens, his horse Sye and especially dogs. He helped his dad on the wheat farm from an early age, learning to operate all kinds of equipment. His mother, Dorothy, started him playing the keyboards at age 9, going 100 miles one way to Great Falls once a week for lessons. Doug played organ at Inverness Supper Club with his mother on Saturday nights when he was a teenager. He continued to perform and played almost every weekend and New Year’s Eve until recent years.
He graduated high school from Hingham High in 1966. He played basketball, did many science projects and acted in several plays. His high school selected Doug to go to Montana Boys State. American Legion Boys State is among the most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for high school students.
He attended the College of Great Falls and the University of Montana in Missoula to pursue his pharmacy degree while playing music at country clubs and bars, making many lifelong friends. In Missoula, the band OPUS 3 was formed. In 1969, the OPUS 3 moved to the LA area to join a show band called The Rising Generation, which toured the United States and Canada and appeared with Tennessee Ernie Ford and Red Skelton. The Rising Generation did a USO tour during the Vietnam War where he played in Guam, the Philippines, Korea and Japan.
In 1972, he began his career in the appliance/central air, construction business, which he has been currently running for over 45 years. In 1983, he married the love of his life, JoNell, while living in Whittier. In 1990, they moved to Joshua Tree, and continued to live in both cities for 28 years.
He enjoyed cooking, reading, gardening, entertaining, traveling, mentoring, solving problems, building houses and listening to jazz music and was a private pilot. His travels and cruises took him all over the world and he especially enjoyed the Czech Republic’s food and beer; that was where his grandfather immigrated from. Most of all, Doug enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, especially the grandchildren.
He is survived by his loving wife, JoNell; his children, Jennifer Ciccone (Harold), Jimmy Meyer, Melody Farnik and Billy Meyer (Sarah); his brothers Jerome (Marilyn) and Michael (Denise); nine grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father, brother Eddy and his favorite dog, Togo.
A celebration of Doug’s life will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Sportsman’s Club at 6225 Sunburst St., in Joshua Tree.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in honor of Doug to his daughter’s nonprofit: animalactionleague.us or P.O. Box 1413, Joshua Tree, CA 92252.
Even if you don’t use your heater a whole lot in Southern California, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t run it with efficiency in mind. Here are some of our best tips for keeping your heating bill low throughout the winter.
Is your air conditioner failing to provide comfort like it used to? Is it driving up the energy bill despite maintenance and repairs? It could be time for replacement—especially if it’s over 10 years old.
There are several heating and cooling options for your home. Not all of them operate the same, and that’s a good thing: everyone has different needs, and every climate is different. It just happens to be the case, though, that Southern California temperatures make heat pumps a logical choice for your next AC or heater. Keep reading and we’ll explain why.
Furnaces are, without a doubt, one of the most reliable heating systems on the market. There’s no shortage of homeowners requesting them, and it’s rare to find an HVAC contractor who doesn’t offer furnace installation services.
Here in Southern California, we don’t use our furnace nearly as long as someone would in other parts of the country. Since they operate for less time, that naturally leads to people believing that they don’t need to have it maintained as often. We can’t force you to get maintenance, but if you’re having any of the following problems, we highly advise you to call in for 
Are you considering replacing your heating system? Most of us here in Whittier, CA rely on our heaters consistently through the cold months, despite what others may think about the “always sunny” California weather. With increased use comes increased wear and tear, however, so it’s not uncommon for us to see a stronger demand for heaters than air conditioners.
Here in Southern California, we have a little more time before we start turning on our heaters. And even then, we’ll only be using it at night! Regardless, the fact remains that your heater hasn’t been used in nearly half a year. A maintenance call is a great place to start, but there’s one aspect of the HVAC system that homeowners forget year after year after year.
We’re nearing the end of the season! The heat might not be letting up any time soon, but that doesn’t change the fact that several hot months have already passed. Now is a great time to take a look at your air conditioner and your cooling habits. This is by no means a comprehensive check nor does it replace maintenance, but it can certainly help avoid some disasters.
