Wednesday, July 17, 2002

Remembering Fayette leader Tom Farr

[Editor's note: The following eulogy was given July 13 at First Presbyterian Church of Peachtree City by the man credited with founding Peachtree City, Joel Cowan, for his friend, county business leader Tom Farr, 60, who died July 10.]

The Cowans and the Farrs are joined at the hip. That is a tradition older than this church ... and even this city. Most think of that in connection with [Tom's father] Floy and myself. But in the background of those many, many years ... there was always Tom.

As we together search our memories of this lovely man, I must necessarily get personal. I met him with his father in 1957, when he was 15. Old-timers at the little bank in Tyrone well remember his coming in every day and asking his father for a penny. I never thought to ask him what he did with those pennies or when he stopped.

I followed his development through his time at the University of Georgia where he had the vague idea of becoming a doctor like his older brother Sonny. I wondered then how these two guys could come from such a rural school and be such academic achievers. He was drafted into the Army in an intelligence unit, later doing a tour of duty in Vietnam.

When he got out, he decided to get his MBA at Georgia State University and he started working for me in Atlanta part-time between classes. It became a case of pumping each other for information, as he was curious about my activities and I was trying to learn what he was learning at Georgia State.

After getting his degree, he joined me full time at Phipps Land Company working on Peachtree City and other projects as a financial analyst. We also stayed close to the affairs at the bank with Floy.

The earliest computers were beginning to be used and he was among the first to apply those expanded capabilities to finance. He built a complex real estate cost allocation model for Peachtree City and the other projects which Price Waterhouse used with other clients. He became incredibly supportive and valuable to me ... always preferring to stay in the background. Work was his life and the folks there his extended family.

In the mid-'60s, Floy and I managed to buy the bank Floy was running in Tyrone, and, getting a charter, we named it The Fayette State Bank and moved it to Peachtree City.

When I left Phipps in 1976, Tom left with me, and we opened a small office across the railroad on Highway 54. From there, we built other projects and became more active with the bank as he became increasingly interested in banking specifically. I think he figured out early on that banks were "where the money was" and he liked the "other side of the desk" from my constant borrowing position. And, of course, there was no better mentor for banking than his own father.

We expanded the bank building to what it is today (now Bank of America's main Peachtree City office) and moved all of our activities there.

In those early days, there were few commercial businesses in Peachtree City and the bank was, in fact, the center of activity. It had a lot to do with the social, as well as the business fabric of the city. Fayette State had a remarkable group of folks, many of whom are here today, that made this all the more central.

While that operation was unquestionably the province of Floy, Tom began to play an increasingly important role there ... but still in his comfort zone of being the guy behind the scenes. This group was, for him, truly an extended family ... and large enough to embrace people both inside and outside the bank. I believe Tom, just like his father, learned to look at almost everything through the lenses of what is in the best interest of individual families and the overall community.

As time and growth continued, it was clear that we were not large enough to keep pace with the capital needs of the city, and jointly decided to sell to a larger institution. This already emotional decision was all the more so for Tom. I, of course, wanted him to follow me on my endless wanderings through the business and political world. But, he also had the opportunity to join the larger bank and develop his skills as a banker and get out from under the shadow of Floy and me.

He chose the large-bank career which soon led him to run the branch which was, in essence the old Fayette State Bank.

In that phase of his life, he had also become more socially active and fate placed him with his first, and only, love: Wendie. At once, his respect and love of family was fulfilled as his unending love embraced Matthew and Whitney. In that instant, there was another loving father, grandmother and grandfather ... just as though it had always been. What could have been an awkward time evolved into a beautiful, loving relationship, largely due to this remarkable person.

Everyone instinctively knew that Tom's work with the big bank would not last long after the first call to move to Atlanta was issued. For this made him leave the extended family and community focus that was such a part of his life. And so, coming full circle, he joined Ron Duffey and his group at Peachtree National Bank where he was back at home, and associated with many of the same people as before.

In addition, he took increasing frontline community positions in this church, civic institutions and government. As he had always contributed so much to these groups without credit, it was fun to watch him come into frontline leadership.

No matter who he worked for, I always felt an incredibly strong bond with Tom. He continued as an advisor and confidant in civic and business matters. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I like to believe that if, at any point, I had called him and said, "Tom, I've got this idea and I want you to join me in carrying it out," I believe he would have done it. I know for certain that I or my family would have had his support if I was in trouble.

He was the true Servant-Leader in whom many, not just myself, placed unlimited trust in his character and judgment. If we needed someone to serve as a trustee, an executor or advisor ... it was always Tom. He was therefore written into many wills, including my own.

Anyone knowing me knows that I have an idea a minute. Tom, on the other hand, was a great balance to this character flaw. Tom would always be ahead of me. For as I was telling him something, you could hear him finishing my sentences with an understanding, but impatient mumble. And, while totally loyal, cooperative and willing to go along, he had a unique way of telling me when I was off my rocker. He would get this pained expression on his face that I came to recognize as the time to back off. He would never say, "You're crazy" as I most often deserved, for his words would all be soft and reasonable. The face said it all.

Since he always worked in the background, and routinely gave someone else the credit, most people will never know the total contribution to individual well-being and quality of life we enjoy here as a result of Tom's passing this way.

He will be greatly missed by so many, many people.

Symbolic of the way I closed most conversations with him, let me close here by saying one last time ... "Thanks, Tom."

[Joel Cowan was the founding chairman of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) and currently heads the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District.]

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