Jack Farrington
12 FEB 1933 - 14 DEC 2006
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Sitting: Bob Schmidt - Cliff and Edie Jones - Standing: Jack and Beverly Farrington
Jane Whitaker and Matt Schmidt (Bob's children) - Dianne and Phil Enslow
50th - MAY 2005
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Paul Sullivan and Jack Farrington
50th - MAY 2005
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Beverly and Jack Farrington
1991
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John and Mary Gamble - Beverly and Jack Farrington
1987
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Tony Hansell - Jud Faurer - Jack Farrington
Camp Buckner 1952
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M - 2
1st Row: Sullivan - Batchman - Bosshard - Mullan - Blanton - Katenbrink
2nd Row: Schmidt - Rock - Mendell
3rd Row: Burkhart - Enslow - Farrington - Burroughs
4th Row: Holbrook - Dryer - Cliff Jones - Ben Franklin (Absent: McIntosh)
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Skills at playing piano one of many facets - friends say Sunday - December 24 - 2006 By GINA HANNAH Times Business Writer - gina.hannah@htimes.com Friends and family say they will miss many things about Jack Farrington - and they'll never forget his hands. The image they hold in their memories is of a tall - handsome man playing the piano - his hands moving across the keys large and graceful but worn and tough - with grease under the fingernails. Farrington - who died Dec. 14 at age 73 - loved music - food and travel. He enjoyed restoring old British cars. Pages of e-mails sent to Farrington's wife - Beverly - describe him as a "renaissance man" and a true friend - who was charming and gracious - giving and talented. "To me - his hands represented the wide range of interests - hobbies and pleasures in his life," said Susan Johnson - Farrington's sister-in-law. "I have many fond memories of Jack's fingers tearing up the keys on the piano while playing jazzy tunes. I remember Jack's hands holding a pen while working on countless crossword puzzles." "His great love - besides Beverly - was to restore old cars to their new condition," said Bob Boerner - Farrington's father-in-law. Farrington played for the sheer love of the music - volunteering his time at receptions around town - friends said. He could be seen at the keyboard at receptions for the Huntsville Museum of Art and Huntsville Symphony and for such visitors as Charles Kuralt and Itzhak Perlman. "That was his gift to the community," said Dot Boerner - Farrington's mother-in-law. Friend David Chamberlain remembers Farrington as "a man for all seasons" and a multitalented person whose ability and humanity were deep in their capacity. "By knowing him - you grew as a person. His acceptance of me was a privilege - a source of self-esteem," Chamberlain added. "His presence in my life - as a friend and mentor - will not be replaced." Bob Hembree - mayor of Guntersville - where the Farringtons spent much of their summers - said Farrington was blessed "with all of the characteristics you would expect the fictional hero of a novel to posses." "I will miss discussing current events with him and hearing his hearty laugh," Hembree said. Beverly Farrington said she and Jack met at a party. He took her home - kissed her at the door and invited her to a jazz concert. After that concert - he was to play the piano at Finnegan's Pub - one of his frequent venues. "He was intelligent - handsome - and then he played the piano for me and I fell in love," she said. The couple married three years later and were wed for 21 years. They traveled extensively and attended cooking schools in New Orleans; Savannah - Ga.; Mexico; France; and Italy. "He loved to make bouillabaisse," Beverly said. "He also loved to make paella." As a child in Belleville - Ill. - Farrington suffered from polio - and his mother didn't want him outdoors playing sports. Instead - he learned to play piano - learning the classics and attending a musical conservatory in St. Louis. While there - he met famed pianist Errol Garner - who taught the young Farrington to play jazz piano. Farrington began getting paid gigs in nightclubs at age 16 - earning union wages. He graduated from West Point - where he was called "Fingers Farrington" by classmates for his piano playing. Philip Enslow of Atlanta - who was Farrington's classmate at the military academy - said his friend - despite his height - had a talent for "blending in" and avoiding the eye of the upperclassmen. "However - Jack was anything but a retiring - shy person; he just managed to have that magic cloak of invisibility he could use when he wanted to," Enslow said. He had a career in the military - serving in Germany - the South Pacific - Vietnam and Huntsville. He retired as a lieutenant colonel. He moved to Huntsville in 1968. After retiring from the Army - he worked as an engineer for Teledyne Brown. After retiring a second time - he opened Jack's Toy Shop - where he pursued his love of auto restoration. His community activities included the Huntsville Symphony - Leadership Huntsville/Madison County - Panoply - Tennessee Valley Jazz Society and Episcopal Church of the Nativity. "He wasn't from the South - but he was a true Southern gentleman," said Ed Laughlin - one of Farrington's longtime friends. "His only flaw was that he left us too soon." John Sebree Farrington of Huntsville died Thursday. Born in Springfield - Missouri - Jack grew up in Belleville - Ill. - a suburb of St. Louis. As a child he attended a musical conservatory in St. Louis - where he studied piano and discovered the felicities of jazz - fostering a lifelong interest in playing the piano. He attended West Point Military Academy - graduating in 1955 - and began a twentyyear military career - serving in Germany - the South Pacific - Vietnam and Huntsville. He earned his Master's Degree in Engineering from the University of Alabama. He retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel. He began a second career in the engineering community of Huntsville - working with Teledyne Brown Engineering for many years before retiring to pursue a third career as a private business owner. In addition to his love of music - he had a passionate interest in British cars and founded Jack's Toy Shop - a business specializing in restoring MGs and Jaguars. Jack was always ready to share his love of music with others - performing at events for the Huntsville Museum of Art - the Huntsville Symphony and many other civic events. He served on the board of directors in the early years of the Huntsville Symphony and worked with the Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce Leadership forum. He was member of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity and actively participated in the life of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Guntersville during the summer months. Jack was preceded in death by his mother - Maryan Tillman Gieger and father - Charles McCann Farrington. He is survived by his wife - Beverly Boerner Farrington - of Huntsville; two daughters - Lauren Farrington Flowers - of Dothan - Christin Farrington Street and husband - Tad - of Atlanta; and five grandchildren Douglass - Grace and Virginia Flowers - and Sam and Emily Street. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. today at the Farrington's residence; 1314 Big Cove Road. Parking is available in the rear of the home. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity. Burial will be at Maple Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers - memorials may be made to the Episcopal Church of the Nativity building fund or the Huntsville Symphony. The Huntsville Times I knew Jack well because we were the same order of goat - and we did a lot of classes together. Early on I saw an admirable streak of carriage and comportment - and it took a while to rationalize that cool exterior with the colorful - engaging friend he became. We were at Buckner before I discovered what an extraordinary musician he was. He could play anything - but the jazz is what I remember most. That cool cat facade and his sly sense of humor built one of my most entertaining memories of him. Walking to class one day - he mentioned that he had to throw his radio out. A radio was a precious thing in those close gray walls - and I couldn't imagine doing without one. "What happened?" I asked. "It just crumped?" "No - no," he said. "It works fine - but I left it running at dinner last night. When I came back - Lawrence Welk was on." That kind of stuff came out of him all the time - some of it so sneaky I may not have got it all. He was one of the most inventive and refreshing people I ever knew - already a cosmopolite when he was still an undergrad. We went our separate ways after graduation - and I never saw him again until the 50th reunion. We had a conversation there that harked back to all the laughs we shared in the midst of our academic struggles. He looked years younger than the rest of us - which I attribute to his extraordinary range of interests and a good and happy life - well lived. And well loved. Bravo - Jack. Encore! Chuck Chuck Ewing January 18 - 2007 |
USMA 1955 Roster
USMA 1955 Pictures