William Winfree Farley M.D.

1919 - 2018

William Winfree Farley, MD

January 12, 1919 - September 7, 2018

Raleigh

William Winfree Farley MD Passed September 7, 2018.

William Farley passed September 7, 2018 after a short illness. Born in 1919 in Richmond VA to Earnest Waldern Farley and Roxanna Skiles Farley he had many experiences in early childhood. The family including his sister Ruth Linthicum Farley moved to Washington,DC in the 20s. He witnessed Lindbergh's reception and saw McArthur and Eisehower remove the Dough Boys from the Mall. With the onset of the depression and the death of his beloved mother,the family moved back to Richmond where the entire Skiles Family lived together. Bill attended Western High School and graduated from the University of Richmond in 1940. He immediately attended the Medical College of Virginia. During the war all MD were accelerated classes. After graduation and before joining the Army, he met his lifetime love and best friend Rachael Farley. They were married prior to his entry to full active service in Kings Mountain, NC.

Bill was immediately sent to Carlisle Barracks and then to Oakland. He was assigned as a field surgeon in the 96th Army Division. Upon assignment he was assigned to the Asian theater. He entered the war with the invasion of Okinawa where he served in a surgical detachment on the Southern Front for 45 days of that battle. After VJ day he was dispatched to Manila to start the 115th Field Hospital for the Army. He was discharged in 1946 with the rank of Captain. He received the Bronze Star for his service during the conflict.

Practicing briefly in Roanoke Rapids, NC he was invited to do his residency at Duke Hospital. He was Chief Resident and a lifetime Duke fan. After residency he moved to Raleigh to begin his lifetime practice of Pediatrics. He had an active practice for forty years. During that time, he was the head of Pediatric Services at Rex Hospital for nineteen years, and Chief of Staff as well. Practicing Medicine was his lifetime ambition.

While in active practice, he served as President of the Raleigh Academy of Medicine and the Wake County Medical Society. He was President of the NC Pediatric Society. In 2000 he was selected as Physician of the Year at Rex Hospital. His lifetime involvement in that facility was always a great joy particularly the nurses and staff that make up that institution.

After his active Pediatric years Bill moved to the Social Security Disability Determination Area with a specialty of Pediatric Disability. He served with his many colleagues and friends in the position for nineteen years. At his retirement he was the oldest NC State retiree at age 92.

He was awarded at his retirement with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Governor Purdue .

Bill had two additional passions. One was his prayer group at White Memorial Church and his second was Golf. He will be missed by both groups.

Bill's wife passed away in 2008. His sister Ruth Linthicum passed in 2009. He is survived by his son William W. Farley, Jr of Chapel Hill and his daughter Mary Charlotte Farley of Raleigh. His grandson William W. Farley III is married to Catherine Clark Farley who recently had Bill's first great grandchild Evelyn. They live in Raleigh. His granddaughter Margaret Mason Farley lives in New York, City.

The family would like to thank the staff of Brighton Gardens who stood by his side for the last five years providing loving care and fulfillment.

A Service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held at White Memorial Presbyterian Church, Raleigh NC on Wednesday at 11:30. Funeral arrangements are by Bryan Lee. In lieu of flowers gifts to Duke University (Duke Children's Development) 710 West Main Street Suite 200 Durham, NC 27701 will help sustain important Pediatric initiatives at that institution.