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Frank Farrar

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For the Australian cricketer, see Frank Farrar (cricketer).
Frank Farrar
24th Governor of South Dakota
In office
January 7, 1969 – January 5, 1971
LieutenantJames Abdnor
Preceded byNils Boe
Succeeded byRichard F. Kneip
22nd Attorney General of South Dakota
In office
January 1963 – January 7, 1969
GovernorArchie M. Gubbrud
Nils Boe
Preceded byAlbert C. Miller
Succeeded byGordon Mydland
Personal details
Born
Frank Leroy Farrar

(1929-04-02)April 2, 1929
Britton, South Dakota, U.S.
DiedOctober 31, 2021(2021-10-31) (aged 92)
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1953; died 2015)​
EducationUniversity of South Dakota (BS, LLB)

Frank Leroy Farrar (April 2, 1929 – October 31, 2021) was an American politician who was the 24th governor of South Dakota. A Republican from Britton, he served as the state's attorney general from 1963 to 1969, and as governor from 1969 to 1971. After leaving office, he chaired several holding companies and became the owner of numerous banks.[1]

Early life and education

Farrar was born in Britton, South Dakota, the son of Venetia Soule (Taylor) and Virgil W. Farrar.[2] He was an Eagle Scout, student body president and graduated from the local high school in Britton in 1947.[3][4] He earned a B.S. from the University of South Dakota an LL.B. degree from the University of South Dakota School of Law. He did not take the bar exam as he was admitted to the South Dakota bar under the state's diploma privilege. He was in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1949 through 1953, and on active duty during the Korean War from 1953 to 1955.[5] He attained the rank of captain by the time he retired from the Army Reserve.[4] He married the former Patricia Henley on June 5, 1953, in Fort Benning, Georgia, where he was stationed in the U.S. Army.[6] Frank and Patricia Farrar raised five children, Sally, Jeanne, Anne, Robert and Mary.[3]

Career

After the Korean War ended, Farrar was an Internal Revenue Service Agent until 1957. He was a judge in 1958. Farrar served as State's Attorney for Marshall County from 1959 to 1962. He also served as President of the States Attorneys Association.[7]

On May 22, 1962, Farrar announced that he was running for Attorney General. Sterling Clark, of Belle Fourche, also ran for the Republican nomination for Attorney General.[8] Farrar won the nomination with 96,608 1/2 votes to 57,339 1/2 votes for Clark.[9] Farrar went on to defeat Democrat Thomas E. Poe of Vermillion, South Dakota, in the general election.[10] Poe had replaced Democrat William Day of Winner, South Dakota, who resigned his candidacy for business reasons.[11] At 33 years old at the time, he was the youngest person ever elected to become state attorney general in the history of South Dakota.[3]

On July 1, 1964, Farrar sought re-nomination as Attorney General.[12] He was re-elected in the general election with 157,848 votes defeating Democrat William C. Grady who received 125,047.[13] In the general election Farrar ran against Democrat Robert M. Swanson.[14] Farrar won a third term with 141,734 votes to 79,670 for Swanson. With Farrar's election to a third term as Attorney there was much speculation that he would be the heir apparent for Republican Gubernatorial nomination in 1968.[15] He defeated the Democrat candidate Robert Chamberlin in the 1968 gubernatorial election with more than 57% of the vote.[16][17] As governor, Farrar increased the state sales tax from 3% to 4% and narrowly passed unpopular energy reform legislation, which led to him being defeated when running for reelection 2 years later.[4]

After his two-year term as governor concluded, Farrar moved back to Britton to practice law.[18] He also became a successful banker later in life, buying, operating and selling a number of local banks in small towns and in rural areas in the Dakotas, Minnesota and as far as Indiana, Montana and New Mexico.[3][19]

Later life

Farrar was a licensed aviator who flew to visit the banks he owned,[19] and over the years, he accumulated over 17,000 hours of logged piloting time.[20] He was also an avid athlete, completing the Kona Ironman Competition at age 73, a decade after surviving lymphatic cancer.[20] He held the 9th fastest finishing time in the Coeur D’Alene Ironman in the 70+ Men's division. He completed the 2003 race in 16:48:49.[21] His wife, former First Lady of South Dakota Patricia Farrar, who was also a Senior Olympian, died on October 31, 2015, at the age of 84.[22] Farrar died on October 31, 2021, at age 92.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 9, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ Kallenbach, Joseph Ernest; Kallenbach, Jessamine S. (1977). American State Governors, 1776-1976. Oceana Publications. p. 391. ISBN 978-0-379-00665-0.
  3. ^ a b c d Andrews, John (May–June 2019). "The Ironman Governor". www.southdakotamagazine.com. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d Ellis, Jonathan (October 31, 2021). "Frank Farrar, former South Dakota governor and Republican statesman, dies". Argus Leader. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  5. ^ "Frank Leroy Farrar". National Governors Association. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  6. ^ "The First Ladies of South Dakota". South Dakota State Historical Society. 1973.
  7. ^ Rapid City Journal, May 22, 1962, page 18
  8. ^ Rapid City Journal, May 22, 1962, page 18
  9. ^ The Daily Plainsman, July 17, 1962, page 1
  10. ^ Sioux Falls Argus Leader, October 12, 1962, page 8
  11. ^ The Daily Republic, August 4, 1962, page 10
  12. ^ The Daily Plainsman, July 1, 1964, page 1-2
  13. ^ Deadwood Pioneer-Times, November 4, 1964, page 1
  14. ^ Rapid City Journal, November 4, 1966, page 10
  15. ^ The Daily Republic, November 16, 1966, page 18
  16. ^ Elections (PDF). p. 637. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  17. ^ Alma Larson, Secretary of State, South Dakato (November 5, 1968). "Official Elections Returns by Counties for the State of South Dakaota" (PDF). p. 6. Retrieved November 4, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ "Governor Frank L. Farrar | Years in Office: 1969-1971" (PDF). South Dakota State Archive. South Dakota State Historical Society. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  19. ^ a b Kennedy, Tony (November 5, 1987). "Farrar Goes From Governorship To Baron of Small Town Banks". AP News. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Meet Frank Farrar, Kona's Last Official Finisher in 2002". Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  21. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 10, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. ^ Nelson, Katie (October 31, 2015). "Former S.D. First Lady Pat Farrar dies at 84". Argus Leader. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
Legal offices
Preceded by Attorney General of South Dakota
1963–1969 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Governor of South Dakota
1968, 1970 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of South Dakota
1969–1971 		Succeeded by
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