Ronald Truman Farrar (1935 - 2020)

Born 3 Jul 1935 in Fordyce, Dallas, Arkansas, United States

Husband of Gayla Hope (Dennis) Farrar — married 3 Jun 1961 in Craighead, Arkansas, United States

Died 18 May 2020 at age 84 in West Columbia, Lexington, South Carolina, United States

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Biography

Ronald Farrar is Notable.

Ronald Truman Farrar was a notable person for his contributions to journalism. He had a distinguished career as a journalist, professor, and department chair at several universities. He received the Distinguished Service Medal for Research in Journalism by the Society Professional Journalist in 1969, and authored several books on journalism history. His legacy continues through the Ronald T. and Gayla D. Farrar Award for Media in Civil Rights History at the University of Southern California (USC).

Ronald Truman Farrar was born on July 3, 1935 in Fordyce, Dallas County, Arkansas^[1] , to Truman Langdon Farrar and Grace (Johnson) Farrar.^[2] He had an older brother who died as an infant before he was born. In 1940 and 1950, he lived on West Second Street in Fordyce, Arkansas.^[3][4]

Farrar graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville with a Bachelor of Science degree in business in 1957. He served as a Captain in the United States Army. He earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Iowa in 1962, and a PhD in History and Journalism from the University of Missouri in 1965.^[2][1][5]

On June 3, 1961, Farrar married Gayla Hope Dennis in Craighead County, Arkansas.^[6] He began his journalism career as a reporter for the Arkansas Democrat in Little Rock, and later worked as the news editor of the Daily Press in Paragould and as the editor of the Trumann Democrat in Trumann. He also worked for The Daily Iowan.^[1]

In 1964, Farrar joined the Journalism Department at Indiana University Bloomington as an assistant professor, and later became a tenured associate professor. He served as chair of the Journalism Department at Southern Methodist University from 1970 to 1973. In 1969, he received the Distinguished Service Medal for Research in Journalism by the Society Professional Journalist.^[1][5]

Farrar served as chair of the journalism department at the University of Mississippi from 1973 to 1977. He then became the director of the School of Journalism at the University of Kentucky from 1977 to 1986. In 1986, he became the Reynolds-Faunt Professor of Journalism at the University of South Carolina and retired from academia in 2001.^[1][5]

In 2011, he was awarded the Ronald T. and Gayla D. Farrar Award for Media in Civil Rights History at USC. Farrar authored several books, including a biography of Walter Williams, who founded the world’s first school of journalism at the University of Missouri. He also wrote “Powerhouse,” a book chronicling the history of journalism education at the University of Mississippi from its origins in 1947.^[2][1][5]

Farrar passed away on May 18, 2020 in West Columbia, Lexington County, South Carolina. He was buried at Elmwood Memorial Gardens in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina.^[2][7]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} Wikipedia Contributors, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, last edited on 9 Jan 2023. "Ronald Truman Farrar." Accessed 22 Jun 2023.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Newspaper Clipping, The State, Columbia, South Carolina, 21 May 2020, Thu. - Page B5. "Ronald Farrar Obituary." Accessed 22 Jun 2023.
3. ↑ 1940 United States Federal Census: Year: 1940; Census Place: Fordyce, Dallas, Arkansas; Roll: m-t0627-00133; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 20-6 Ancestry Record 2442 #101820161
4. ↑ 1950 United States Federal Census: United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Fordyce, Dallas, Arkansas; Roll: 512; Sheet Number: 17; Enumeration District: 20-8 Ancestry Record 62308 #32601564
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Prabook, World Biographical Encylopedia, (n.d.). "Ronald Truman Farrar - Journalism Educator." Accessed 22 Jun 2023.
6. ↑ Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1972: Arkansas Department of Vital Records; Little Rock, Arkansas; Marriage Certificates; Year: 1961; Film: #2 Ancestry Record 61775 #1375379
7. ↑ Burial: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/210418376/ronald-truman-farrar: accessed 22 June 2023), memorial page for Ronald Truman Farrar (3 Jul 1935–18 May 2020), Find A Grave: Memorial #210418376, citing Elmwood Memorial Gardens, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, USA; Maintained by jwb (contributor 47891638).