Lt. Col. Fred Grey Farthing, Jr. (Retired USAF)

Yorktown, Va. – Fred Grey Farthing, Jr., 86, died on Wednesday February 10, 2021. Fred was a native of Wytheville, Virginia and a Peninsula resident since 1975.
He graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1956 and served in the Air Force for twenty years, retiring as a Lt. Col. in 1979. He immediately started a second career with the Bionetics Corporation and retired again after twenty years. By then Fred felt that he needed to give back to the community and joined the York Lions Club in January of 2000.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years Mary Jo Farthing, sons Fred G. Farthing III, Lance Farthing, Steven Wilson (Lourdes), daughter Lisa Ann Kimm (Larry) and brother Gail Farthing (Terri). He is also survived by grandchildren Fred G. Farthing IV, Ashley Farthing, Chelsea Farthing, Kerrie Wilson, Ryan Wilson, Meredyth Davis (Adam), Wilson Kimm and four great grandchildren Alex Farthing, Philip Farthing, Lashawn Donnell, and Emerson Jo Davis.
Fred was preceded in death by his parents Fred G. And Effie Farthing, brother William Farthing, and nephew Will Farthing.
Fred had a smile and a warm greeting for everyone, and he never met a stranger. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. VMI was a huge source of pride and he considered his brother rats his dearest friends. He loved to dance and was an avid golfer. His goal was to shoot his age at 95. Internment will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the VMI Alumni Association, Moody Hall, 394 Letcher Ave., PO Box 932F, Lexington, VA 24450 or to Prostate Cancer Research, 300 Corporate Pointe Suite 383, Culver City, CA 90230 or email info@nullpcri.org
Arrangements made by Amory Funeral Home Grafton, VA