July 12, 1924 - January 14, 2013
Jack died peacefully in the palliative care unit of the Nanaimo General Hospital. He had recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
He was born and raised in Brantford Ontario. That’s where he met and married Catherine (Baker). Their first kiss was on their first date on New Year’s Eve 70 years ago in 1942. He enlisted in the RCAF at the age of 19 and was commissioned in 1944. Jack was a co-pilot of a B24 Liberator based in India. He proudly served his country in the Burma Theater during WWll.
Jack and Catherine married in October 1946. Their loving relationship thrived for 66 years.
He drove a Coca-Cola truck in the Brantford area after high school, went to war, had his own insurance business for six years and then re-enlisted in the RCAF during the Korean conflict. He was posted as a flying instructor to the air bases in Summerside PEI, Trenton Ontario and Centralia Ontario. He felt the call to the ministry while in the Air Force.
Jack`s first churches were Mt. Brydges Baptist and Caradoc Zion Baptist in southwestern Ontario. Next was Dufferin Street Baptist in Toronto, Grandview Baptist in Vancouver and Crescent Heights Baptist in Calgary. Then he became the Manitoba Area Minister for the Baptist Union of Western Canada, based in Winnipeg. A return to Calgary had him as Director of Stewardship, Director of the Baptist Union of Western Canada Foundation and Director of Church Growth for the Baptist Union. The next challenge came in Vancouver as Minister of Pastoral Care at First Baptist Church. During the ensuing years, he unretired several times to become Interim Pastor of Calvary Baptist in Chemainus BC on Vancouver Island, a position that resulted in Jack and Catherine`s final move. They settled in Ladysmith. He also served in an interim capacity at churches in Inuvik Northwest Territories, Chemainus again, Duncan and Victoria.
Jack is survived by his loving wife Catherine and his children Ted Farr (Terrie), Frances Schneidmiller (Merv), Doug Farr, Shirley Farr and Cathy Kokot (Cal). Jack was proud of his five grandchildren, Jonathan Farr who died tragically in 2008, Natalie (Farr) Murphy, Megan and Nathan Schneidmiller and Jarrod Kokot. His one great grandchild is Jonathan, son of Natalie and Rob Murphy.
Jack lived his life with no regrets. He served his God, his family, his church family and his country with pride and purpose. He was a leader in everything he set out to do.
The Celebration of his Life will take place Friday, January 18th, 2013, 2 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church, Chemainus, B.C. In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation to the Jack and Catherine Farr Endowment Fund at The Baptist Union Development Foundation, #21-2236 Folkestone Way, West Vancouver, B.C. V7S 2X7