Elizabeth "Betty" Farrar
June 22, 1945 - March 5, 2026
Elizabeth ''Betty'' Jane Farrar passed away on March 5th, 2026, at the age of 80. She was born June 22, 1945, in Hemphill, Texas, to Elizabeth and Talmadge McDaniel. Betty lived a life defined by her love of learning, her passion for the French language and culture, her deep Christian faith, and her unwavering devotion to friends and family.
Betty earned her Bachelor Arts from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, and her master's degree in French from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. A bona fide Francophile, Betty taught high school French and English for more than 25 years, inspiring countless students with her enthusiasm and depth of knowledge - and brought scores of students on trips to France over the years, giving many young Arkansans their first taste of the world beyond. She was also a member of the Little Rock French Club, where she remained connected to her passion.
After retiring from teaching, Betty returned to school and earned a Master's degree in International Business from Webster University, launching a second career as a financial editor at Stephens Inc. She brought the same precision, discipline, and love of language to finance that she brought to teaching. After retiring from Stephens, she treated herself to two months in Paris, living as a tourist in the city she had loved all her life.
Betty was a lifelong learner. Always a voracious reader, as a young girl, she could be found reading under the covers by flashlight long after bedtime. She was a devoted member of her book club for more than 40 years, gathering with friends to discuss and debate the books that had always been her great companions.
Betty's adventurous spirit found its greatest complement in the love of her life, James Farrar. Together, they served in the United States Peace Corps in Afghanistan from 1968 to 1970 - a formative experience that deepened her understanding of the world and cemented a bond between them. Upon completing their service, the couple traveled the globe for six months before returning to Arkansas to build their life together. When James was taken from her far too soon by cancer - Betty was only 41 - she lost not just her husband but her greatest companion.
Faith was the bedrock of Betty's life. She was a member of Pulaski Heights Baptist Church for more than 50 years and was a member of the same Sunday school class, where she served as legendary athletic director, for nearly as long. Many of her closest friends were from her church family. She chaperoned youth group trips - ski trips, visits to the Great Smoky Mountains, and countless other adventures. In later years she delighted in the fellowship of Young at Heart trips. Her church was not simply a place she attended. It was a community she loved and served. Betty was also an active and dedicated member of Beta Sigma Phi, serving in numerous leadership roles over the years. Her civic involvement reflected the same generosity of spirit she brought to every facet of her life.
Above all, Betty was immensely devoted to her family. She never missed a birth, a wedding, a birthday, an anniversary, or a holiday and was simply, reliably, and lovingly present. Her niece, Suzanne Herzog, was like a second daughter to her, and Betty's warmth extended to Suzanne's children and grandchildren as naturally as it did to her own. That same gift for building deep, lasting bonds extended beyond family by birth: over the years, her friends became family in every meaningful sense.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband, James Winston Farrar; her parents, Elizabeth and Talmadge McDaniel; her brothers, John McDaniel and Arthur McDaniel; and her sister, Carol Anne Greeno.
She is survived by her son, Jason Farrar, and daughter-in-law Julie Farrar; her daughter, Nicole Farrar, and son-in-law Jonathan Woolsey; her niece Suzanne Herzog, and her husband Kirk Herzog; her grandchildren, Clay Farrar, Allison Farrar, Laine Farrar, Stella Woolsey, and Skylar Woolsey; and her grand-nieces and nephew Jami Williams, Melissa Dandridge, Jared Herzog, and Kirsten Lankford.
A visitation will be held Sunday, March 8, 2026, from 3:00-4:30 p.m. at Pulaski Heights Baptist Church in Little Rock (2200 Kavanaugh Boulevard). A funeral service will be held at Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home in Monticello, Arkansas (943 US Hwy 425), on March 9, 2026, at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at Oakland Cemetery in Monticello. You can sign Mrs. Betty's guestbook registry here on her page.
Obituary Provided By:
943 Highway 425 North
Monticello, AR 71655
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