Annetta J. Farr

Annetta Joan Farr was born October 26th, 1937, in Passaic, New Jersey to Charles and Hazel Harris. As a child, Annetta’s family moved to Paterson, New Jersey. Six years after her birth, she was joined by her younger sister, Gloria Jean. Starting out in public school, Annetta eventually began attendance at catholic school. She had been a devout catholic all of her life. Annetta first attended the Saint Nicholas school and then graduated from Saint Joseph high school in 1955. During these years she had the opportunity to take opera lessons and participated in a number of recitals. After graduation, Annetta attended Seton Hall University in Paterson on a scholarship, graduating in 1959 with a degree in English. While working as a teacher in Paterson, Annetta moved with her immediate family to Montclair, NJ where they had purchased a home. Shortly thereafter in 1963, Annetta married John Walters Farr, a United States Air Force officer and pilot. Following their nuptials, Annette and John would move to California, where John had been stationed since 1962. In January of 1965, they welcomed their first child, Brett. Annetta, John, and Brett would remain in California until John started a one-year tour of duty to fight in the Vietnam war. During this period, Annetta and Brett moved to NJ where she furthered her education, qualifying and teaching as a Montessori school teacher. After finishing his tour in Vietnam, John came back to the states. The family was then stationed in Rome, New York where they welcomed another child in 1972, Christian (better known by family as Chris). In 1973, the now family of four would remain in New York until John was assigned to work at the pentagon. Annetta, John, Brett, and Chris would then move to Woodbridge, Virginia until John's retirement from the Air Force in 1977. John would enter civilian life and relocated the family to Wilmington, Delaware where he began a new career with the DuPont Company. In Delaware, Annetta continued her religious involvement through membership with the St. John the Beloved choir for more than 40 years. Annetta stopped teaching and stayed home to take care of her family. John Farr may have retired as a Lieutenant Colonel, but he lacked rank in the Farr household. Annetta was the general. She set the tone and trained her children how to care for themselves. Annetta also used her background as an educator to teach her children at home. She shared her love of reading with everyone. In the 80's, Annetta started a craft making business with her sister Gloria called, “Harris Arts”. The two designers of crafts opened their own store in Montclair following the passing of their parents. They eventually closed the store there but continued to maintain the business for more than 20 years in Delaware. Annetta loved life and did the best to enjoy it. Before the birth of her second child, Annetta was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. During the years, Annetta endured two knee replacements and had to take various medications to ease the pain. Throughout the decades, she did not allow the debilitating disease to take control of her life. Her husband stood by her side throughout her entire fight against the disease. Annetta was a warrior, a survivor and a champion. she passed on her love of reading to many of her family members including her niece and nephew. Annetta Joan Farr instilled confidence, the same confidence that helped frame her long life. Annetta is survived by her husband of 61 years, John Farr; her sons, Brett and Chris, Chris’s wife and her daughter-in-law, Karen Jordan Farr, their children and Annetta’s grandchildren, Vivian and John; sister Gloria Fleming, brother-in-law George Fleming, nephew Sean Fleming and his wife Linda Fleming, niece Lauren Sammerson and her husband, along with great nieces Jasmine and Evangelina, and great nephews Ethan and Xander. Relatives and friends are invited to the viewing on Monday, September 30, 2024, from 11 AM – 12 Noon at St. John the Beloved Church, 907 Milltown Road in Wilmington, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12 Noon. Interment will be held on Friday, October 11, 2024, at 1 PM at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Pike Creek-Green Hill Lions Club, 3106 Videre Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808.

Annetta J. Farr

October 26, 1937 - September 21, 2024

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