William "Bill" Farrar

Bill was born in Brooklynn, New York on April 13, 1938 to George Regan Farrar and Mildred Howard Farrar. He passed away in Tyler, Texas on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Bill’s family lived in New York until 1942 when they moved to Dallas, Texas, the birth place of Bill’s father. While living in Dallas, Bill’s brother Bob was born. Later when living in Ft. Worth, Texas, Bill’s sister, Mary was born. Bill attended James Bonham Elementary School in Dallas, joined the Boy Scouts and became very interested in electronics. While in the seventh grade, he also worked in the scout master’s radio shop. In 1952, his family bought a home in Vickery, a suburb of Dallas and he attended Hillcrest High School. Reaching the age 18, Bill joined the Naval Reserve and attended boot camp in the summer of 1955. He remained in the Reserve until his discharge in 1963. He ultimately graduated from Hillcrest in 1956. Following his graduation from high school, he alternately worked in the aircraft/electronics industry and attended NTSU for the next four years. In 1963, he moved to California but when he arrived there, the electronics industry was in the midst of a recession. So, at that point, he found work with a local TV store and eventually became it’s manager. Eventually, the electronics industry began hiring and he worked for several different aircraft companies over the years. He began taking courses at the local junior college, and then began his last two years at University of California in Northridge. Though he loved the electronics and aircraft industry, he realized his “calling” was in health care helping others. While on vacation in Dallas the June of 1968, Bill met the love of his life, Margaret Ann “Peggy” Cook. It was obviously love at first sight as the two spent every spare moment together over the next two weeks. Bill however had to return to work and left to return to California. Peggy returned to Dallas and work and over the next month, the two decided that Bill would return to Dallas and take Peggy back to California. At the end of August, they traveled to California and were married a week later. Bill and Peggy as newlyweds began attending college together and Peggy was enrolled in the nursing program and Bill was completing his studies and graduated with a BA in psychology in January 1971. About a month later, due to an earthquake that rocked the Los Angeles area, the couple returned to Dallas. Arriving there, Peggy went to work as an office nurse and Bill was hired in the vocational evaluation department at Denton State School. Over the next four years, Bill became the director of the program and then the director of all vocational services. They bought a home in Lewisville and in 1974, William Taylor “Chip” was born. That same year, Bill completed his Master’s degree in Psychology. Bill was hired at Fort Worth State School as a residential unit director and they continued there until 1981 when the family moved to Hideaway. Bill then joined his father-in-law in the vending business. They bought a home there and also, during the same time Peggy completed her RN training, to her great delight. In 1993, Bill sold his vending business and obtained a position of associate psychologist with Mexia State School, again working with mentally challenged individuals. He continued in that position until 1997 when he was hired at Rusk State Hospital dealing with mental health. Beginning in 1997, Bill and Peggy began taking their vacations in the Caribbean Islands and over the next 21 years, managed to visit some 20 different islands. They grew to love the island life and thought that some day they would like to retire to one of the islands. Having accumulated some 22+ years with the state, Bill retired in 2005 but continued with his post graduate work to obtain licensure. That same year, they bought a home on the lake and settled in to enjoy their “autumn” years. Bill opened Counseling and Rehab Associates dealing primarily with worker’s comp injuries and geriatric patients. Peggy had been working as a nurse case manager for several years and when her case load became so demanding, Bill became her chauffer so she could concentrate on her work. Peggy decided that she needed to retire in 2013 and in 2014, she and her sister-in-law, Barbara spent some two months vacationing on the island of Roatan as a retirement present. The couple enjoyed their time on the lake, sometimes floating on rafts, riding boats with friends, reclining in their hot tub, or just enjoying the view from the patio. Peggy started showing the effects of ALS in 2017 and it progressed until her death in September 2018. The two had been married 10 days short of 50 years. The love of his life was taken from him by the terrible disease for which there was no cure. He lost not only his wife but also his life partner and best friend. Bill was preceded in death by his wife, his daughter, and his mother and father. He is survived by his son Chip, brother Bob, sister-in-law Barbara, sister Mary, grandson Taylor, and several nieces, nephews, and grandnieces and grandnephews.

William "Bill" Farrar

April 13, 1938 - January 5, 2021