Gregory Alan Farrell

Gregory Alan Farrell, 83, of Ridgewood, NJ, passed away on February 8, 2026, cherished by all who had the honor of his acquaintance. Brooklyn-born in 1942, Greg – the youngest of four – was raised in idyllic post-war Lynbrook, on Long Island's South Shore, where he developed the curiosity, patience, humor, intelligence and deep devotion to family that would define his life.

Greg attended Lynbrook High, already manifesting the ease and wit that would come to be two of his defining characteristics. After early morning split sessions, he and his friends often decamped to Long Beach, where languid afternoons unfolded with both lively conversation and riding the waves, underscored by the unshakable teenage maxim that there was nowhere else they needed to be. Before his graduation in 1960, Greg hammed it up in the senior class play, You Can't Take It With You – a selection that suited both his youthful optimism and his lifelong appreciation of comedic fare.

He earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from The Cooper Union in 1964, where he effortlessly balanced serious study with socializing on intramural teams and as a member of Omega Gamma Delta Fraternity. He also continued to scratch his itch to perform with the student theater group Great Hall Players

During his college summers he worked as a house painter and then as a messenger for the company for which his Dad was the office manager. On his lunch hour, Greg would often take the subway to Coney Island on the way home to ride the famous Cyclone Roller coaster.

Upon graduating, he immediately flew to San Diego ( his very first flight) to work for General Dynamics, where he traded the waters of the Atlantic for the beaches of Southern California. No matter the location, Greg was always drawn to the beach, and may have further explored his laid-back, bohemian surfer persona had not General Dynamics quickly redirected him to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida as part of a team that was building a launch pad for an upcoming space flight..Thus, at the tender age of 22, Greg was a rocket scientist - smart enough to have serious employment, while still remaining laid-back enough to enjoy life on the Florida coastline. Eventually, Greg chose to return to the distinct seasons of the north, answering the call for a General Dynamics engineer position in Rochester, New York.

Which is where Mary caught a glimpse of a tall, handsome, stranger at the Mardi Gras Restaurant and Bar in July, 1965. They ended up talking for hours and kindled a relationship that would define both of their lives, model true partnership, and last for the better part of sixty years. Mary decided that South Pacific's "Some Enchanted Evening" (you may see a stranger, across a crowded room) best captured the magical feeling of love at first sight that they experienced that night, and it remains "their" song to this day.

It felt 'right' from the get-go, and thus they didn't require an extensive courtship. Within six weeks of their first serendipitous encounter, it was clear to both of them that they would wed. With a twinkle in his eye, Greg often recalled his first evening meeting Mary's sprawling Italian family, as he quietly shuffled through a house packed with people, and literally stepped over sleeping children. He used to joke that perhaps there had been a gas leak. For their part, Mary's younger siblings were in awe of Greg from the start: he was the tallest person they had ever met, and even though other in-laws and their offspring have since surpassed that physical height, his initial "stature" remains a shared memory to this day.

Prior to Greg's arrival, one could peruse Mary's family register for three centuries and not find an Irish surname, so Greg and Mary had the honor of breaking that particular cultural barrier together. Despite a prolonged history of tension between Irish-Americans and Italian-Americans, there was no such friction with the Lupianis when Greg was introduced to the family. Though Mary's grandfather had never pined away for an Irishman to join the family proper, Mary reports that "because Greg was my Irishman, he welcomed him into the family with great hospitality." The two were married at Holy Family Church in 1966, and from then on, Greg jokingly referred to himself as the family's "first out-law."

Greg continued to work as a self-described "steely-eyed rocket engineer" through June of 1967, when he decided that he craved employment that would make more of a difference. So, in September 1967, he enrolled in Columbia University's Biomedical Engineering Program. His thesis on the physics of the flow of human blood earned him a master's degree from the Ivy League school in 1971, where he also completed extensive doctoral coursework and research.

Over a distinguished career as a biomedical engineer, including nearly thirty years with Technicon (then Bayer Diagnostics), he specialized in hemodynamics and the development of clinical laboratory instruments. His work helped rewrite the book on the entire field, and led to significant advancements in blood analysis technologies, for which he earned twenty eight patents for innovations in sample handling and system fluidics.

Greg and Mary lived in Teaneck, NJ when Juliana (1972) and Cristina (1974) were born. Outnumbered at home, Greg embraced the role of "Girl Dad" wholeheartedly and was a cheerful and steadfast supporter of all their endeavors in the arts, sports, and academics throughout their lives. Greg was a present dad. He didn't delegate his parenting, he did it all himself: whether it was combing tangles out of the girls' hair or painting banners or doing science projects. He rolled up his sleeves and approached every facet of their upbringing shoulder to shoulder with his girls, ingraining in them a version of masculinity that was absent of ego or the weight of social mores. His kindness and relatability made him a favorite among both Julie and Tina's friends, both in high school and college. To this day, the memory of those years, Greg's openness and the effortlessness with which he helped to make their Ridgewood home the place where everyone wanted to hang out still resonates among people who hadn't seen him in three decades.

Although he described himself as a "non-joiner", Greg was infinitely likable and quickly recruited to be in groups wherever he lived. In Teaneck, he and Mary were involved with the Peace Movement, Fair Housing, and Reform Democrats. Their home was adjacent to a major thoroughfare, and it ruffled some feathers when Greg hung a very large political banner on the side of his house, resulting in a lawsuit from people seeking to have it removed. In 1972, the ACLU defended the Farrells against the town of Teaneck, which sued them for violating the town's law against political signs. Greg and the ACLU won the case, and you can still find Farrell vs. Teaneck in law books, a landmark ruling which still informs legal precedent for the freedom of speech to this day. This highlights an oft-forgotten element of Greg's personality. He was affable, sincere and gentle, quick to laugh and always willing to help. All of which belied an iron core that was unwavering and steadfast in his beliefs and moral perspicuity which fueled an eagerness to fight for what was right.

In 1982, Greg left Technicon/Bayer for work in a small start-up company and the family moved to Bethlehem, PA where Greg and Mary were founding members of The Pennsylvania Youth Theatre. Five years later, Greg was wooed back to Technicon/Bayer and the family settled in Ridgewood, NJ where they set down lifelong roots, became pillars of the community and enjoyed being cast members of Ridgewood High School's annual Jamboree show.

Music was always an integral part of Greg's life, and Greg was a member of the Mt. Carmel Choir for several years. He served as chairman of the board, past-president and longtime member of the Orpheus Club Men's Chorus of Ridgewood lending his warm baritone to everything from Bach to The Beach Boys. Every year, Greg would direct the construction of the float for the annual 4th of July parade, and sing with The Orpheus Club throughout the entire route. Always game for a road trip, (especially where entertainment was involved), Greg attended eclectic performances from New York's Lincoln Center to Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA to New Orleans' Jazz Fest.

Among the many hats Greg wore was a notable one as esteemed purveyor of the "Prom Mobile." After all, what self-respecting high school junior like Julie needs something as gauche as a limousine to convey her to prom when Greg was ready to rumble in a nearly mint-condition, brown and yellow Ford Econoline van, festooned with balloons and streamers? He even wore a little black chauffeur cap so he could mix in with the other drivers without drawing suspicion. Once the five alarm fire of prom excitement was in the rear view mirror, Greg reappropriated the Ford back to his van pool, which he drove for many years from Teaneck, NJ to Tarrytown, NY.

Longer drives didn't daunt Greg in the slightest. It was commonplace for him and Mary to regularly squeeze in trips to Rochester. Weather didn't stop him, nor did the dark of night. When there was driving to be done, Greg was your man. When Julie moved to Los Angeles, he diligently packed up the family truckster and drove her three thousand miles to her new digs. When Tina needed to make her way from Montana to Cambridge to begin a post-baccalaureate pre-med program, he gleefully met her in North Dakota to conduct her back east. Whenever family members needed to be picked up at bustling JFK airport, Greg was there, regardless of the time of night. He famously gave unofficial driving tours of NYC and its environs for out-town-visitors. There were countless trips to and from Julie at Harvard and Tina at Dartmouth respectively, then to Tina's work in Washington, DC, and to Hudson, MA when Julie relocated there. But more than just the pilot of every vehicle and the captain of every ship, Greg was a fixture in his family and his community. In every endeavor, he was always the picture of humble dependability, which helped model the type of generosity of spirit that served as an example for two solid generations of relatives on both sides of his family.

Greg was infinitely curious, a lifelong learner who cultivated a number of wide ranging interests, including genealogy, Irish history, sailing, and bike riding. But nothing meant more to him than time spent with his family, especially during those treasured annual weeks of vacation spent on Long Beach Island. Many a family member learned how to body surf on the crashing waves of Holgate as Uncle Greg coached them up, and then stood a smiling watch as they navigated the waves themselves. When he wasn't actively in the swells of the New Jersey tides, hearkening back to those hazy SoCal beach days of his youth, he could be found sitting with his feet in the sand, reading an historical novel and greeting every comer with the kindness that was his hallmark.

After his retirement, he launched Gregory Farrell Consulting and continued contributing to his professional field, while benefiting from trips around the country. Many times this led him to Los Angeles, where he took full advantage of visits with Julie, Thor and their family. When he was not on the road, he prioritized spending time closer to home with Tina and her family. Throughout his later life, he served as a cherished and integral caregiver to all of his grandchildren, by whom he was affectionately called "Pop Pop."

In all things, Greg was spirited and loving, inclusive and generous. He met challenges with grit and determination, and always with a smile. No matter where he trod in this world, the name Greg Farrell always meant a man who carried himself with dignity and grace, and was universally respected by co-workers, peers, neighbors, friends and family. His passing creates a hole that is impossible to fill, but leaves a legacy of preternatural goodness which will stand the test of time.

Greg is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Mary; daughters Juliana (Thor Benander) and Cristina (Jim Anderson); nine beloved grandchildren; siblings Edmond Farrell and Grace Burns, and many in laws, nieces, and nephews who will miss his humor, warmth, and steady presence. He was predeceased by his brother Robert and his parents, Edmond and Edna.

A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, February 13 at Feeney Funeral Home, 232 Franklin Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ, from 2–4 p.m. and 7–9 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, February 14 at 9:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, One Passaic Street, Ridgewood, NJ, with burial to follow at Christ the King Cemetery, 980 Huron Road, Franklin Lakes, NJ.

In the early 2000s, Greg helped to establish the GRACE Project – an NGO supporting financial independence for Kenyan families. Anyone who wishes to commemorate Greg's spirit of generosity, caring, and kindness may make a donation at graceproject.org or to St. Jude’s or Shriners Children's Hospitals.