Richard Bentley Farr Obituary
Richard Bentley Farr, 64, passed away on August 14, 2026, in Gulfport, Mississippi. He was born on April 9, 1962, in Beaumont, Texas, to Leonard Jay Farr and Pauline Elizabeth Goodwin Farr.
Richard married the love of his life, Lisa Allison Fournerat Farr, on June 11, 1988. Together, they built a life centered around family, love, and devotion to one another.
Richard dedicated much of his life to education and found great joy and purpose in teaching. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Education from Lamar University in 1986 and later earned a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Prairie View A&M University in 1998.
Richard began his career in the Texas public school system as a science teacher at Lamar Junior High School in Rosenberg, Texas. Over more than 30 years in education, he served in numerous teaching and administrative positions before retiring in May 2020 as an Assistant Vice Principal at MayDell Jenks Elementary in Katy ISD.
Retirement did not end Richard’s passion for education. He continued doing what he loved by teaching at The Monarch School and Institute, a school dedicated to serving students with special needs. His commitment to his students and to education was an important part of who he was, and teaching remained one of his greatest joys throughout his life.
A Man Who Could Build Anything
Outside of education, Richard was an exceptionally talented craftsman whose creativity and mechanically inclined mind seemed to know no limits. He could weld and fabricate competition-grade BBQ pits, build beautiful and functional cabinets through woodworking, and take on the challenge of rebuilding and restoring cars. Among his automotive projects were a Karmann Ghia, a 1951 Ford Custom, and various Mustangs and Camaros.
Richard had a natural ability to look at something broken, unfinished, or difficult and figure out how to make it work. Whether he was welding, woodworking, rebuilding an engine, repairing machinery, or creating something entirely from scratch, he approached every project with patience, determination, and ingenuity. If it involved his hands, there was seemingly nothing this man could not figure out. His talents were not simply skills; they were an expression of his creativity, curiosity, and love of making things better.
Above all, Richard was deeply devoted to his family. He gave his time, energy, and care generously to those he loved and was always dedicated to helping and caring for his family members.
Richard is survived by his beloved wife of 38 years, Lisa Allison Fournerat Farr; his children, Lloyd Shelby Farr and his wife, Lauren Elizabeth Farr; Connor David Farr; Raymond Russell Farr; and Margaret Allison Farr; his grandson, Lukas Bentley Farr; his father, Leonard Jay Farr; and his siblings, Lamoyne Jay Farr and his wife, Rebecca Ann Farr; Donald Bradley Farr and his wife, Karen Ann Farr; and Paulette Elizabeth Farr Ebert and her husband, Daniel Scott Ebert; as well as nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Pauline “Betsy” Goodwin Farr; his grandparents, Elizabeth “Betty” Brown Farr and Lloyd Jay Farr; and his in-laws, David Louis Fournerat, Sr. and Marjarie Fay Thompson Fournerat.
Richard will be remembered for his dedication to education, his remarkable mechanical, welding, woodworking, and metalworking talents, and, most of all, his unwavering devotion to his family. He was a teacher, craftsman, problem-solver, husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. His legacy will live on through the many students he taught, the countless things he built and repaired with his own hands, the people whose lives he touched, and the family he loved so deeply.
Arrangements are being handled by Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Home - 15th Street, 1726 15th St, Gulfport, MS 39501. Visitation will be held on August 28, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., followed by a ceremony at 3:00 p.m. A second memorial service will be held in Texas at a later date. Details regarding the Texas memorial will be announced when arrangements have been finalized.
