Obituary of LTC Stephen Farish

LTC (Retired) Stephen Farish, age 78, of Ozark, died Saturday morning, November 4, 2006, at his home following an extended illness with his wife and grandson at his side. Funeral services will be 6:00 P. M. Tuesday, November 7, 2006, in the Chapel of Holman Funeral Home in Ozark with Chaplain Charles Goldsmith officiating. Interment will be at 12:00 Noon (E.S.T.) Wednesday, November 8, 2006, in Ft. Mitchell National Cemetery with full Military Honors, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 4:30 P. M. until 6:00 P. M. Tuesday evening. LTC. (Lieutenant Colonel, Retired) Stephen Farish was the son of Charles Lafayette and Floy Morrow Farish, stepson of Grace Hummel Farish, and the grandson of Arkansas state representative, Columbus Lafayette Farish. Stephen's great-grandfather Farish was the first Methodist circuit-riding preacher in Western Arkansas. Stephen's father was an attorney and novelist. Stephen was born in Glendale, California and grew up in Morrilton, Arkansas. He attended Arkansas State Teacher's College, The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, the University of Houston, Tulane, and the University of Maryland. Stephen served in the United States Army as a Special Agent, of Army Counter Intelligence (CIC) in Korea with then Major John Eisenhower, in the United States Third Infantry Division, until the end of the war, and later in Tokyo with the Far East Command (CIC) Office of Counter Subversive and Espionage. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, National Military Officers Association, and the Counter Intelligence Corps Veterans, Inc. In March 1956 he entered helicopter flight training at Fort Rucker, Alabama. While there Stephen met Louise Mitchell of Ozark and they were married on December 28, 1956, the self-proclaimed "luckiest day of his life". Stephen, Louise and their three sons traveled the world extensively with the military, living in Poitiers, France, Augsburg and Munich Germany, and Edgewood, Maryland before settling in Ozark, Alabama. Stephen served two tours in Vietnam as an Army Aviator and Aviation Staff and Command Officer during the tenures of General William C. Westmoreland and General Creighton W. Abrams, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. In 1968 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel by General Abrams. In his last duty assignment, LTC Farish served as Director of Troop Support at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. In 1970, after 22 years of service, Stephen retired from the Army. He then owned several successful businesses in Southeast Alabama, and was a real estate investor, estate auctioneer and television news anchor. In 2004, Stephen completed a book of Farish family genealogy entitled "Farish Family History: Scotland, England, Virginia and Beyond" with Dr. Marcus Key, MD. Stephen lived by three words - Duty, Honor, Country. Stephen belonged to the Methodist Church. Survivors include his wife, Louise Mitchell Farish of Ozark, three sons, Robert Farish and his wife, Regina of Kona, Hawaii, John Farish and his wife, Joyce of Dothan, and Charles Farish of Ozark, four grandchildren, Benjamin Farish of Kona, Hawaii, Jonathan Farish of Tampa, Florida, Jennifer Farish of Dothan, and Jesse Kelley of Dothan, and three dear cousins, Carolyn Niemeyer of Summerville, South Carolina, Dr. Marcus Key of Irvington, Virginia, and Dr. J.K. Farish of Tulsa, Oklahoma. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory to Wiregrass Hospice, 1970 East Andrews Avenue, Ozark, Alabama 36360, or to the Church of your choice will be appreciated. Service Information