Harry Hull Farr, veteran, successful businessman
Harry Hull Farr passed away Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. Harry was born Oct. 30, 1925, in Washington, D.C., to John Dent Farr and Loretto Hull Farr. He attended St. Ann’s Catholic School and St. John’s College High School until he enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served in the Navy in the PhotoScience Air Station in Norfolk, Va., from 1943-46 as a photographers mate third class. Following the war, he completed his high school education and attended American University.
He married Joyce Mary Keogh May 30, 1960, and they had four children. He is survived by his children, Michael Keogh Farr (Laurie Fishburn Farr), Mary Joyce Farr Colwell (Todd Colwell), Stephanie Farr Lennon (Daniel Lennon) and Julia Farr Knoll (Duffy Knoll); 11 grandchildren, Amélie Colwell Ward (Gregory Ward), Robert Fishburn Farr, Margot Colwell O’Connell (Jonathan O’Connell), Margaret Ann Farr, Lucy Lennon Biagini (Jonathan Biagini), Joyce Keogh Connolly (affianced to Timothy O’Neill), Elizabeth Colwell Herbster (Scott Herbster), Beatrice Farr Lennon, Cecilia Farr Connolly (affianced to Joseph Angelina), Katherine Adele Lennon, and Peter Christopher Connolly Jr.; great-grandchildren, Madeline McPherson Ward, William Keogh Ward, Cecilia Colwell Ward and Henry Hull O’Connell; his two sisters-in-law, Katherine Dufief Keogh and Adele Keogh Cahill. He is predeceased by his beloved wife of 56 years, Joyce; his parents; and his brothers, John Dent Farr Jr. and Robert David Farr.
In his early career, Harry taught photography at the Veterans Administration. He photographed the inauguration of President Truman and the funeral of General Pershing for Stars and Stripes newspaper. He was particularly proud to have copied the Japanese Terms of Surrender that were directly distributed to the president and top military officials.
In 1968, he founded Harry H. Farr & Company, an investment and appraisal enterprise for both the commercial and residential markets in the Washington, D.C. area. Harry was the president of the American Society of Appraisers from 1982-83. He and Joyce opened the Dent Collection in 1978, showing primarily late 19th and early 20th-century American art. They discovered artist Ruth Anderson and published a booklet on her life and art.
A resident of Naples, Fla., since 1996, Harry also spent his summers with family and friends in Rehoboth Beach, and was a true Washingtonian at heart. He enjoyed memberships at Royal Poinciana Club, Naples, Fla.; Chevy Chase Club, Chevy Chase, Md.; The Metropolitan Club, Washington, D.C.; Rehoboth Beach Country Club, Rehoboth Beach; Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Washington, D.C.; and American Legion.
A lifelong athlete, he sailed his boat, Harry’s Hull, in Annapolis, Md., with friends and family for many years. He was a skier, tennis player, runner, and golfer with the proud achievement of getting a hole in one on the ninth hole of the Chevy Chase Club!
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 13, at Holy Trinity Church in Georgetown, 3513 N. St. NW, Washington, D.C.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, Bethesda, Md., and Sibley Memorial Hospital, Washington, D.C.
Visit Harry's Life Memorial webpage at parsellfuneralhomes.com.
