William Derrick "Derry" Farris

William Derrick Farris passed away in his home in Marietta, Georgia on February 24, 2024. A native Atlantan, he was a proud graduate of Southwest High School, where he was famous for his athletic achievements, having played quarterback on the football team his freshman and sophomore years, known for his ability on the baseball field, but always being most at home on the basketball court, ultimately earning a scholarship to play basketball at West Georgia College (now University of West Georgia). He later transferred to Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta. There, he proudly joined Kappa Sigma fraternity, where he made many lifelong friends and always looked forward to attending reunions with his fraternity brothers. Known to his family and friends as Derrick or Derry, he was known best of all for being someone who loved his children and grandchildren more than anything; he was in turn adored beyond measure by his son Corey Farris, daughter Lexia Farris, grandchildren Arden Uffalussy (8) and Sidney Farris (2), and daughter-in-law and son-in-law-to-be, Jennifer Gerson and Ryan Bell. All who knew him were immediately intimately familiar with his kind-heartedness, his selflessness, and his desire to be of help in any way he could to anyone — stranger or friend — in need. To know Derry was to see modeled every day what it meant to live with an ethos of loving and accepting all. There was no one Derrick ever met who he ever cast judgment on; he had an unmatched ability to meet any person exactly where they were with a genuine commitment to understanding their lived experiences. He was a man who had no tolerance for intolerance of any kind. Derry was someone who loved to make others feel at ease, always wanting to include everyone in any good time to be had and join in on his adventures. Whether he was slalom water skiing with family and friends at Lake Burton, encouraging others to run the Peachtree Road Race with him, planning his next escapade with his long-time friends, reminiscing with his brothers and sisters, teaching his kids to boogie board at Daytona Beach, or teaching his grandkids to shoot baskets in the driveway, Derrick was happiest when he was asking others to join in — and to share in his love of life. He was quick to laugh and always looking for any opportunity to create family traditions, especially ones that helped make magic for his family — most notably getting up before dawn on Christmas Day to make sure everyone could hear the reindeers hoofsteps and sleigh bells from outside and making his entire family watch It’s A Wonderful Life with him every Christmas Eve. Being a father was his life’s work and he prided himself on his job of being “Corey and Lexy’s dad,” never missing a single play performance, Odyssey of the Mind competition, tennis match, basketball game, chance to chaperone a field trip, or be present for his children and their friends in any way he could, in all stages of their lives. His fierce devotion to his kids extended to his well-known core principle of always driving them to and picking them up from the airport himself. Whether watching the Atlanta Hawks or the Georgia Bulldogs play with Corey (a huge concession, given his lifelong Georgia Tech fandom), talking about politics and religion (never verboten) with Jennifer, visiting his daughter Lexia in Chicago or New Orleans and letting her tour him around all of her favorite local haunts, or watching Ryan play music or cook, nothing made him happier than being with and supporting his kids. Nothing, that is, except being with his two grandchildren, Arden and Sid, who loved their “Pops” more than words can ever describe. He never missed a single dance recital, soccer game, or musical performance of Arden’s. He loved chasing Sid around on the playground, always encouraging him to do anything mildly dangerous that might provoke a small panic attack in his mother. Derrick cheered Arden on when she first learned to ride a bike, lovingly sat through the many song and dance shows she liked to perform for him, and gamely played dolls whenever she asked. He gleefully encouraged Sid’s tendencies to be boisterous and silly, egging him on whenever he tried to eat off the table with his mouth only, no hands, like a dog. He never missed a VIP Day at their school, looked forward to accompanying them to the North Georgia State Fair every fall, and was always the first one in the pool with them every summer. Though separated from his children’s mother, Dea Siegel Farris, the two remained lifelong friends, staying in close touch and always happy to come together to celebrate their family (and enjoy a BLT together). He was also a beloved brother and uncle to his many siblings, nieces, and nephews. Derrick was preceded in death by his parents, Milton Glenn Farris and Elizabeth Herzberg Farris, sister Sandra Farris Ragan, brother Milton Carl Farris, nephew Evan Borg Farris, and niece Sandra Leigh Ragan. He is survived by his adoring siblings Janet Farris Boden (Walter), Stewart Glenn Farris (Susan), sister-in-law Peggy Borg Farris, as well as his children Corey Farris (Jennifer Gerson), Lexia Farris (Ryan Bell), grandchildren Arden Uffalussy and Sidney Farris, as well as so many other adoring friends and family who always knew they could count on him as a source of comfort and joy. A memorial service for Derrick’s life will be held on Monday, March 11 at 12:30 p.m. at Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home (180 Church Street, Marietta, Georgia 30060) followed by a celebration of his life at Suburban Tap (1318 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta, Georgia 30068). In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Chattahoochee National Parks Conservancy (https://www.chattahoocheeparks.org/; CNPC, PO Box 769332, Roswell, Georgia 30076), to help care for the parks Derrick enjoyed jogging on and spending time with his family in throughout his life.

William Derrick "Derry" Farris

August 15, 1949 - February 24, 2024