Obituary of Virginia A. Farrar

Virginia “Ginny” A. (Pennell) Farrar, 97, wife of the late Gilbert C. Farrar and long time Pembroke resident, passed away on August 7, 2022 after a period of declining health. 

The daughter of Ernest and Hattie Lou (Allen) Pennell, Ginny was born and raised in Danvers, MA with 6 siblings. She was a loving mother to Susan and her husband Gary Erickson of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Cynthia and her husband Arthur Borden of Carver, and Debra and her late husband Christopher Batson of Plympton, and a loving grandmother to eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

She was an exceptionally kind and uncommonly patient soul with a special knack for connecting with kids. Her good humor and welcoming air masked a will of iron and a keen eye. She welcomed and often instigated silly fun, including teaching everyone to hang a spoon off their nose. She loved a challenging game of scrabble or cards. At the same time, she had little tolerance for actual foolishness and was ready to get down to brass tacks when necessary. 

If you were lucky enough to stop by for a meal, you were guaranteed tasty home cooking with classic Yankee baking for good measure. Her grandchildren are still trying to get her butter rolls and date filled cookies just right. She made countless treasured knitted afghans, hats, and mittens and sewed numerous outfits for her kids and grandkids.

An avid reader who loved a good story and stayed curious about the world, Ginny also had a memory like a steel trap. She prided herself on having knowledge ready to go and could have been a tough contender for any contestant on Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune. She was also the keeper of family lore.

Ginny had deep respect for others. She was a great listener and had the ability to make each person in her presence feel truly heard, whatever the topic of conversation. 

A private burial service will be held in late September at the Center Cemetery in Pembroke.