Mrs. Archibald A. (Emily Nixon) Farrar, Summerville, died on October 4, 2009 at her daughter’s home following a brief illness.
A descendant of pioneer families that settled in Floyd and Chattooga Counties in 1845, she was the daughter of Pennington Mason Nixon and Marian Dean Nixon. She was born July 25, 1922 and was preceded in death by her husband, Archibald A. Farrar, her parents, a brother, Pennington Mason Nixon, III and a sister, Challis Sydney Nixon.
Mrs. Farrar graduated from Rome Schools and attended the University of Georgia where she pledged Chi Omega Sorority. After college she cherished the few years she worked at the Georgia Power Company. She was a member of the Chattooga County Historical Society and Trion Presbyterian Church. She also served on the Board of the Summerville Cemetery Association.
Mrs. Farrar was affectionately known as “Miss Emily” to all of her students in the very first kindergarten started in Summerville in the 1950s. She taught Sunday School and was a substitute teacher for years in the Chattooga County School system. She had a love for history and genealogy and particularly enjoyed being the keeper of her family’s history in her own “History Room.” She was the person to consult on the issues of history relating to both Chattooga and Floyd Counties and she wrote the History of Chattooga County in 1962. An exceptional cook, she loved cooking and entertaining her family and friends.
Survivors include two sons, Archibald A. Farrar, Jr. and his wife, Nell, of Summerville and Robert Nixon Farrar of Nashville, Tennessee and one daughter, Janet Farrar Byington and her husband, Bill, of Rome. Also surviving are five grandchildren, John Pennington Farrar of Atlanta, Georgia, Challis Elizabeth Latta of Gainesville, Georgia, Katherine Gates Farrar of Rome, Emily Allgood Griffin of Rome and Mary Catherine Farrar of Athens, Georgia and two step grandchildren, Will Byington, III of Rome and Dr. Kelly Byington of St. Petersburg, Florida.
The family will hold a visitation at the residence of Mrs. Farrar at 164 Virginia Drive, Summerville, Georgia on Tuesday from 5-7 PM. A burial service will be held at Earl Rainwater Funeral Home on Wednesday at 3 PM with interment to follow at The Summerville Cemetery with the Reverend William Flannagan officiating.
The family requests no flowers but memorials may be sent to the Trion Presbyterian Church, 224 Park Avenue, Trion, Ga 30753 or an historical charity of your choice.
Pallbearers are: Butch Eleam, David Ford, Greg Thomas, Malcolm Lee, Robert McWhorter and Jason Winters. Honorary pallbearers are Jimmy Duff and the Deacons and Elders of the Trion Presbyterian Church.