Roll Call Tribute

Bannister Wells "Bann" Farquhar, Jr. 

February 15, 1935 - December 15, 2023 

Bannister Wells Farquhar, Jr. was born on February 15, 1935 in Port Arthur, Texas to Hertha Wilhelmina (Thomsen) Farquhar and Bannister Wells Farquhar, Sr. He passed away in Houston, Texas on December 15, 2023.

Bann grew up in Port Arthur and attended school through high school graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1953. After graduation from high school, Bann attended Texas A&M University to obtain his Bachelor of Science in 1957. While at A&M, Bann was part of the University Corps of Cadets and after graduation spent 2 years in Korea as a 2nd Lieutenant. He supervised a group on the DMZ and participated in the construction of the Chang-Pa Branch School of Juen-Sue Primary School.

When he returned, he went to work for an Engineering company and lived in Houston for a few years. Bannister Wells Farquhar, Jr. and Margaret E. Nabours married in Port Arthur on September 1, 1962.

He returned to College Station to pursue graduate studies at Texas A&M University and graduated with a Master of Science. They then moved to Indiana to attend Purdue University and he graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in 1968.

After he received his PhD, they settled in Bellevue, Washington, when Bann went to work for Boeing. While living in Bellevue on Hunts Point and then in Clyde Hill for 26 years, they had a weekend property at Sandy Point, Whidbey Island. In 1996, when Bann retired from Boeing, they designed and built the dream “Frank Lloyd Wright” style home overlooking Holmes Harbor with views of Mount Baker and Mount Rainier.

Bann loved flying and personally flew over 379 hours per his pilot log. Bann and Margaret traveled around the world on 3 excursions. He loved spending time salmon fishing and dungeness crabbing at the island with family and friends. When leaving Whidbey, Margaret & Bann donated their extensive art collection to The Friends of the Library of Freeland.

In 2016, they relocated to Houston, Texas to be close to family. Five years later Margaret passed away and now Bann has left to join her. He was preceded in death by his parents and leaves behind his sister Jacqueline F. Hopkins, niece Amanda Ellen Hopkins and many lifelong friends.