Gavin M. Farr

FARR GAVIN MALLOY FARR (Age 66) Died on August 18, 2009 at his home in Chevy Chase, MD. Gavin married the love of his life, Cathleen Hiser Farr of Bethesda, MD in 1975, and they enjoyed 34 years of marriage. Gavin was a loving father to his four children and was known as "Pop Pop" by his nine grandsons. He is already terribly missed by his family and friends. Gavin grew up in Chevy Chase and spent weekends and summers with his siblings and cousins at their parents'' farm in Comus, MD. A fourth-generation Washingtonian, Gavin is the son of the late Janet Sharon Johnston and William Sharon Farr of Chevy Chase. Gavin is the great-grandson of Sen. Francis G. Newlands, founder of Chevy Chase and the Chevy Chase Land Company. He is the great-great-grandson of Sen. William Sharon of Nevada. Gavin started working for the Chevy Chase Land Company in his 20''s and served as president and chairman of its board for decades. He played an instrumental role in refurbishing and repairing the Chevy Chase Circle Memorial Fountain in 1990. The circle was originally built in the 1930s to memorialize Sen. Newlands'' contributions to thearea. Gavin also served on the board of the Columbia Hospital for Women and the Chevy Chase Bank. Gavin was a grand storyteller and history buff. Known for his generosity and his quick wit and sense of humor, Gavin made his friends and family laugh and smile. His friends and family frequently sought his wisdom, counsel, and advice. Gavin was very musical and creative and enjoyed singing, reading, playing golf, calligraphy, and spending time with his loved ones. He attended the Potomac School, St. Albans, Woodberry Forest, and George Washington University. Gavin was a true family man and deeply valued his immediate and extended family. He is survived by his wife, Cathleen Hiser Farr, and their four children and nine grandchildren: Emily Newlands Farr of Takoma Park, MD, Sarah Malloy Farr of Silver Spring, MD, her husband, Steven Cucolo, and their son; Charlotte Hiser Fisher of Germantown, MD, her husband, Gene Fisher, and their three sons; and David Maxwell Smith of Kensington, MD, his wife, Angela Smith, and their five sons. Survivors also include his two sisters, Sheila Farr Nielsen of Mill Valley, CA and Janet Marion Nelson of Isle of Mull, Scotland; as well as Katharine Kearns Farr, wife of his brother William Sharon Farr Jr., who died in 2007. There will be a viewing on Monday, August 24, from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Pumphrey Funeral Home, 7557 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, MD. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, August 25, at 10:30 a.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, 3 Chevy Chase Circle in Chevy Chase. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to All Saints Episcopal Church (the Gavin Farr Memorial Fund) or the Chevy Chase Historical Society.