Michael Richard Farrah Sr.

1939 - 2018

Michael Richard Farrah

April 1, 1939 - December 15, 2018

Michael returned peacefully from our hands into the loving hands of God on December 15, 2018, at age 79, surrounded and embraced by his family.
A first-generation and proud San Franciscan, he was third son of immigrants from Lebanon and Syria, and relished this heritage. He would receive frequent requests from family for his Middle Eastern food, which he would lovingly prepare with his sous chef grandsons.
Mike's defining characteristics were his warmth, his playful, witty, and mischievous sense of humor, his remarkable intellect and extraordinarily sharp memory. Most importantly, he cherished those he loved. He demonstrated this love in big and small ways on a daily basis. From writing detailed letters to his children, nieces and nephews, to attending athletic events and theatre productions, his attention made each person feel special and know how strongly he held us in his heart. Loving his family and friends fervently and unconditionally is his greatest legacy.
Mike will be remembered for one of his most significant gifts - his social and friendly nature. Mike lit up a room. He was fun to be with, always making people laugh and smile. He employed an avid curiosity about and genuine interest in people. Mike understood the art of conversation. He paid attention, and had a remarkable ability to remember people and the details of their lives. He was positive and encouraging.
He would strike up a conversation with anyone, and often inquired of a person who he had just met, asking "Are you from here? Where did you go to school?" Every day, as he strolled down West Portal Avenue from his Real Estate office to enjoy a cup of coffee and read the paper, he would have a smile on his face as he stopped to chat with his friends and neighbors.
Mike's loved ones enjoyed his conviviality. He could be found at his weekly game playing Pedro with his friends, or behind the backgammon board for hours on end with his grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and especially his brother-in-law Joe Alioto. He kept a backgammon board in the trunk of his car to be prepared for any opportunity.
He enjoyed these games of skill, but also flirted with games of chance, and his luck and propensity for winning defied the odds.
Mike was a proud Crusader and graduate of Riordan High School. He was a double Don – earning both his undergraduate degree in Economics and his JD from the University of San Francisco. Mike maintained his sharp intellect throughout his life: quoting the classics, remembering the Latin he learned as a youth, maintaining his conversational Italian, writing whimsical poems, and being his children's go-to with help for advanced math studies.
In his professional life, Mike devoted the first half of his career practicing law, and then excelled as a real estate broker, representing clients with both commercial and residential properties for the last 30 years.
The most significant story of Mike's life was that of the love he shared with Julie. Their marriage is a tribute to commitment, friendship, family and devotion. She was the love of his life.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 52 years, Julie Driscoll Farrah, and was a wonderful and devoted father to his loving children Michael Farrah, Jr., Anne Farrah and Soraya Farrah and daughter-in-law Maya Draisin Farrah. He was predeceased by his son, George Farrah III.
His grandchildren Finnegan and Elijah Farrah, and Julian Farrah were the lights of his life with whom he shared a joyful, close and unconditionally loving relationship. They adored their "Popsie" like no other.
Mike was exceptionally close with his sisters-in-law and brothers-in law:Barbara and Robert Callan, Michele and Joseph Alioto, Catherine Cannata and James Murphy (and the late Steven J. Cannata), Mary and Joseph Toboni, Theresa and Joseph Moore and the late Michael Joseph Driscoll, Jr.
Mike is survived by his brother Joseph Farrah, and predeceased by his sister-in-law, Emily Farrah.
Mike was an enthusiastic, caring and fun-loving uncle, and had an extraordinarily close relationship with all of his nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews and their families on both the Farrah and Driscoll sides of the family. They loved their Uncle Mike, and felt his love in return.
Mike leaves us to join his late mother and father, Julia and George, his brother Edward Farrah, his mother and father-in-law Regina and Michael Driscoll and Joan Buckley Driscoll.
Friends may visit Saturday, December 22nd, 2018 after 12:45pm at St. Ignatius Church, 650 - Parker Ave., at Fulton, San Francisco where a Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1:30pm. Parking at the Kendrick Law School on Shrader St. Private interment. A reception will follow.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the Steven D. Cannata Scholarship Fund at St. Ignatius College Preparatory in loving memory of his nephew — 2001 37th Avenue, SF, CA 94116 or to Archbishop Riordan High School.