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Mental Health America Bell of Hope Memorial |
In Loving Memory of
In loving memory of our dear son Richie was a great friend; I looked to him as a mentor. Even though he was only a few years older than me his strait forward manner and drive in the news business was an inspiration. For this he earned my respect.
Several times when things looked bleak for me he stood fast and lead me to understand my goals were attainable. I learned so much from him. He looked at me and saw the best I have. For this I was loyal to him.
Richie never asked for anything in return for his kindness, never. His smile was free. I loved the way he thought. His parents did good. Rich
Farmer was a loving and devoted son, and brother to Melissa Farmer.
The pure joy of having him in our lives was replaced by intense pain
at his sudden death. He was a handsome and witty young man, fond
of telling funny stories. But he also felt and thought deeply about
others. Our agony has been somewhat relieved by the knowledge that
he was respected and held in great affection by his friends and fellow
workers. He received many honors for excellence in his chosen occupation
of journalism. I was privileged to work with Rich for nearly 10 years. He was a joy to be around. He had a dry sense of humor but always a kind word and a smile. I always found him to be a gentle soul. He maintained the detached, objective exterior of a newsman but his sensitivity often revealed itself in the quieter moments. When we each went our separate ways, we would occasionally run into each other and it felt as though there was never a lapse at all. To his co-workers and competitors alike he was gracious and considerate, always ready to help. I am so saddened that he is gone, but I shall always keep his memory and his spirit in my heart and whenever I think of him I will smile. Richard J. Farmer...that's how I'll always remember him. He called me Anne G. Rohinsky. He always made me laugh. He would make me laugh so hard I couldn't even breathe. What a sense of humor and great heart and soul. It's with great sadness that I even post anything anywhere because it seems so hard for me to even believe he's not sitting in his house up on the hill. I knew Rich for years - we met when I worked at NBC. After I left California, he always met friends of mine that had worked with me at NBC and no matter which country I lived, he always would email me or a friend would email to say, "guess what? I met so and so..." And he always knew everyone. The world is small and the world is full of friends who get to know other friends. Whichever world Rich is in, I hope he'll get to make as many friends...GOOD friends...as he has had all his life. And I hope he'll have all of life's satisfactions and joys and laughter that one could ever dream of. He was a special person and he will always remain special in our hearts
forever. Richard's generosity allowed me to embark upon a new life that has affected not only my own, but of my new family, enriching each of us by allowing us to be a family, and bringing joy to myself, my wife, and the children. I have several fond memories of him in addition to our last cross-country trip together. . . our trip down the Rogue river, his visit to L.A. to my parent's house as a teenager and others. In each case he brought joy and humor to our lives. When we arrived in Rochester, he endeared himself immediately to both my wife and son. I remember fondly his repartee with Daniel about "free-agency" in professional baseball and his "test" with Daniel determining if he was gay. He had a way of relaxed friendship with those he met and bringing joy to the situation. His
time spent with us was too brief, but the quality of the time was
extraordinary and unique to Rich and we are better for it.
His loving cousin As Rich's sister, I consider myself very lucky. I grew up with Rich, and was very close to him the entire 43 years of his life. Rich was not just my brother; he was my friend. He will always be with me as the whip-smart, extremely funny man of integrity we all knew. What an honor it was and is to call him "brother". Rich
will always be remembered as a great friend. No matter what was going
on it was always better when Rich was there. Rich
loved his family very much, and believed in hard work. Richard was
encouraging to me when I was a single parent- attending school,supporting
an autistic child- and terrified at how I was going to get through
each day. It was his ability to make one laugh at life and enjoy
it as fully as possible in the present that I will always remember.
It was through his encouragement that I was able to obtain my college
degree and graduate with a 4.0 GPA. If you were having a tough time,
Rich would be there for you. Sometimes, just being around him would
take your mind off of your worries. He was truly an exceptional photographer
and man; I will miss his smile, his silliness, his candor and the
way he would distill the weightiest topic into one sentence or less--and
make you laugh about it! Until we meet again, here's to you, Rich!
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