Roll Call Tribute

Richard Albert Farquharson
November 05, 1942 - October 27, 2021

Richard Albert Farquharson passed away peacefully on October 27, 2021, just shy of his 79th birthday. He was born November 5, 1942, in Little Rock, Arkansas to Theodore Nelson and Marietta Henson Farquharson. Soon after his birth, the family moved to Ferndale, Arkansas where they had a small dairy farm. This time was filled with youthful adventure with his older brother Ted and younger brother Ron. Richard learned responsibility as he milked cows every morning before school and in the evenings before supper. His paternal grandparents, Orville and Addie Farquharson were also farmers, as they owned and managed a large grape farm near Little Rock.

In the mid-1950s the family moved to Freeport, Texas where his father found employment with Dow Chemical. Richard attended Brazosport High School and graduated in 1960. He went on to attend Texas A&M University where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets. He graduated in 1964 with a degree in Zoology. It’s at Texas A&M where he met is lifelong friends Robert Reinke and Robert Eubank.

With his degree in hand, he went to work at Dow Chemical in Freeport. He later went on to get both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Chemistry from the University of Houston. While at Dow Chemical he was awarded two U.S. Patents. In 1963 he married Martha Wright and had two sons, Scott Farquharson and Todd Farquharson. There are many great memories of playing catch in the backyard, fishing, camping, and road trips.

In 1981 he married the love of his life Judy Veator. The family grew with the addition of his stepchildren, Terry, Nancy, Roberta, and Don. In 2000 they adopted their daughter, India. Richard and Judy lived in many places as they followed their careers, including South Carolina, Mississippi, Buenos Aires, and Geneva, New York where they purchased a grape vineyard and founded Catharine Valley Winery. One of their fondest places in the world is their “camp” on Mink Island on the St. Lawrence River, part of the Thousand Islands.

Richard was a talented artist, avid reader, teacher, and Aggie football fan. Most importantly, he was a devout Christian and a man of integrity and character.

He is preceded in death by his parents, and his brothers Theodore Farquharson and Ronald Farquharson.

Richard is survived by his wife Judy, his sons Scott, Todd '89, daughter-in-law Gina, daughter India, stepchildren Terry Root, Nancy Root, Roberta Root, Don and Jess Kilcoyne, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.