John Joseph O'Farrell Jr.

John Joseph O’Farrell Jr., 90, of Tallahassee, Florida passed away on May 27, 2014. John was born in Wildwood Crest, NJ on February 6, 1924, the oldest of five children of John and Rose (Glockler) O’Farrell. He attended local schools, including St. Ann’s Parochial School and Wildwood High School. Following high school, while attending the New York Technical Institute of NJ to become a radio and television technician, John joined IBM in West Orange, NJ as a draftsman in September, 1941. John enlisted in the US Army in March, 1943, and served with the 78th Infantry Division in France, Belgium and Germany as a radio repairman. He was in the battle to take the Schwammenauel Dam on the Roer River, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and saw action at the town of Remagen, where for one of the first times the enemy used jet aircraft in attempts to destroy the bridge across the Rhine River. John was discharged from the Army in January, 1946 with the rank of technical sergeant, and returned to work for IBM in Poughkeepsie, NY. Following a 32 year career, which included assignments in engineering, marketing, sales and corporate staff, he retired from IBM in 1971. One of John’s lifelong interests was photography, and it was while photographing an international dance competition in Puerto Rico in the mid-1960’s he met his future wife, Elizabeth Kinzer. Known as Betty, she was an award-winning ballroom dancer and a fellow World War II veteran. Betty and John were married in New York City on December 26, 1970. They moved to Tucson, AZ in 1973, where John worked for the City of Tucson in the computer systems department as a systems analyst, retiring in 1979. In 1984, John and Betty moved to Tallahassee, where he became very active in the local community, volunteering with organizations such as Crime-Stoppers, the Leon County Republican Party Executive Committee, LeRoy Collins Public Library, and Seniors vs. Crime. He was Vice President of the WWII Historical Society, block captain for his neighborhood association, and an election precinct worker and clerk. John was a TMH Lifeline Service installer, and served on the Tallahassee Senior Center Advisory Council and FSU Psychology Department Seniors Panel. He was recognized for his service many times over the years, and he was honored to be named a Tallahassee Silver Star in 2006. John was frequent guest speaker on a wide range of subjects, including his WWII experiences, the history of computers, and one of his favorite subjects, codes and ciphers. He was also a consultant, writer and inventor, and held several patents. In addition, John was very involved with marketing his wife’s book “WW II…A Navy Nurse Remembers”, an autobiography dedicated to the patients and medical personnel she worked with during her Navy career. In 2009, John also helped Betty publish a fiction novel, “A New Gomorrah”, co-authored with Charles Titus. John is survived by his three sons from his first marriage, John III, Brian, and Allen, their families, and the families of his brother and three sisters who predeceased him, including several nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Tallahassee on Thursday, June 5, 2014 at 3:00 PM, with a reception to follow. Interment will be at the family gravesite in Ottawa, IL later this year. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to Wounded Warrior Project, PO BOX 758517, Topeka, KS 66675. Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193, www.bevisfh.com) is assisting the family with their arrangements.

Tributes

John Joseph O'Farrell Jr.

February 6, 1924 - May 27, 2014