Virginia Farrar

1926 - 2024

ROCKY GAP, Va. - It is with both sadness and confidence in the victory won, that we announce the passing of Virginia C. Richter Farrar who left this life Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, at the age of 98, to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Born May 8, 1926, in Aurelius, Mich., she was the daughter of the late Robert and Bertha Richter and sister to two brothers and six sisters who called her Ginny.

Growing up in Lansing, Mich., she worked at the city market with her family selling tomatoes and other produce, which helped her develop a strong work ethic. Virginia always valued education, graduating from Everett High School in 1944 and earning a bachelor's degree in education from Bob Jones University in 1951.

Married in 1951, she was a devoted wife to the late Rev. Thomas E. Farrar and together they raised five children, Edwin L. Farrar (wife Donna), Mark T. Farrar, Wesley G. Farrar, Cynthia F. Copolo (husband Thomas), and Nathan E. Farrar (wife Nancy).

She is survived by her greatest joy, all of her children; her grandchildren, Jessica Farrar Smith, Whitney Farrar Probst, Kayla Makinson, Kelly Copolo, Olivia Farrar and Christopher Copolo; her great-grandchildren, Molly Makinson, Titan Makinson, Mattis Makinson, Isla Probst, Harper Smith and Acen Probst; and two sisters, Levina "Barney" Yeager and Betty Ann Bush.

Her grandson, Patrick Farrar, preceded her in death.

She lived in Arkansas from 1951 to 1968, Texas from 1953 to 1954, Bluefield W.Va., from 1968 to 1978, and Rocky Gap from 1978 to 2024.

She was an active member of Laurel Fork Baptist Church in Rocky Gap, cheerfully serving the people of Bland County. While living in Bluefield, she was a member of First Baptist Church. Virginia was always serving her Lord by teaching Sunday school, singing in the choir, leading Bible classes and faithfully serving, together with her husband, both as a foreign missionary in Ecuador and Costa Rica and as a home missionary in Las Cruces, N.M..

As a public servant and a strong believer in education, she taught elementary school in Arkansas and Texas and high school history at Graham High School in Bluefield, Va.

Most of all, Virginia deeply loved all of the people in her life and will always be remembered for her boundless kindness, her bright spirit and her unwavering devotion to serving others. Virginia's memory will lovingly live on in the hearts of all who knew her. She will be deeply missed but her spirit of kindness, service and devotion to her Lord will continue to inspire those who were fortunate enough to call her family or friend.

Funeral services will be held at noon today, Dec. 14, at Laurel Fork Baptist Church with the Rev. Robert Walker officiating. The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. until service time at the church. Burial will follow in Morning Star Cemetery, Bland, Va. Bland Funeral Chapel is serving the family.

The family suggests the following organizations for donations in honor of Virginia Farrar: International Mission Board (IMB), Lottie Moon, 3806 Monument Ave., Richmond, VA 23230, 804-353-0151, www.imb.org; North American Mission Board, 4200 North Point Parkway, Alpharetta, GA 30022, 800-634-2462, www.namb.net/give; Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001, 866-232-8484, alzfdn.org/donate.