Arthur Campbell Farris (“Bud”), age 85, passed away peacefully on November 25, 2018 at Alamance Regional Hospital in Burlington, NC.
Bud was born on October 20, 1933 in Charlotte, NC. He was the youngest of three children born to Samuel Grady and Mary Payne Farris.
Arthur (“Bud”) Farris graduated from Central High School in Charlotte, NC and attended Charlotte College for one year before joining the US Navy for four years. Bud served on the Mount McKinley during the Korean War, participating in fleet and amphibious exercises off the coasts of Japan, Korea and Taiwan. In the spring of 1955, while aboard the flagship McKinley, he witnessed Operation Wigwam, an underwater atomic bomb test in the Pacific. Upon completion of his service, he attended NC State University, earning a degree in Electrical Engineering. Bud worked as a senior engineer for Lucent Technologies (Western Electric Company and Bell Laboratories), a career that relocated his family from North Carolina to Texas, New Jersey, Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands, North Dakota and Germany. A highlight of his career was his participation in the Nike Partners’ design and development teams of Bell Lab’s surface to air anti-ballistic missile defense systems, including Nike Hercules and Nike Zeus. The Hercules remained NATO’s front-line high altitude air defense in Europe until the late 1980s, and served as the predecessor to the Patriot anti-ballistic missile defense systems. In 1983, Bud’s expertise on satellite communication systems took him to Germany for a year, where he assisted NATO forces with Nike Hercules installation upgrades. Bud ended his career in North Carolina, retiring after 31-years of doing a job he loved, and making life-long friends along the way. Upon retirement, he and Nancy enjoyed playing golf and bridge, traveling with friends, and visiting their children and grandchildren. Bud’s grandchildren will always remember him as their “biggest fan,” as he never missed an important event in church, academics or sports. He was always sporting a ball cap representing a college or university one of his grandchildren attended.
Bud is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Nancy Misenheimer Farris, of the home, his four children Phillip Alan Farris and wife Diann King Farris of Denver, NC, Harriet Farris Rice and husband David Colin Rice of Topsail Beach, NC, Marsha Farris Song and husband Philip David Song of Charlotte, NC, Jennifer Lee Farris of Washington, DC, and ten grandchildren Caroline Farris Bernthal (Ryan), Annalise Farris Perry (Stephen), Delainey Grace Farris, Sharidan Lee Farris, Kaylen Rice Bretthorst (Justin), Jacob Palmer Rice, Matthew Payton Rice, Carson Campbell Song, Conrad Joseph Song, Isabelle Camryn Song, and very special sister-in-law, Janie Washam of Charlotte, NC. Bud also leaves behind his beloved maltipoo “Ziggy.”
He is predeceased by his parents, Samuel Grady and Mary Payne Farris, and his sisters, Barbara Ann Farris and Jane Farris Lisk.
The family would like to thank Dr. Andrew Armstrong and the team at Duke University Medical Center for many years of dedicated, uncompromising care, always treating Bud as part of the team rather than just a patient. Many thanks to Alamance Regional Hospital ICU nurse, Barbara Allen, for her compassionate care for Bud and his family in the final days.
Visitation will be held Thursday, November 29th from 4-6 pm at Rich and Thompson Funeral Home in Burlington, NC. A private family celebration of Bud’s life will take place in December in Charlotte, NC.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Humane Society of Alamance County, PO Box 5117 Burlington, NC 27216 or online at hsaconline.org.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Arthur Campbell Farris, please visit our floral store.