Background
Farrar was born Patricia Henley on August 13, 1931, in Britton, South Dakota, to Percy Denis and Margaret (née Schneider) Henley.
Farrar was born Patricia Henley on August 13, 1931, in Britton, South Dakota, to Percy Denis and Margaret (née Schneider) Henley.
She was raised in nearby Claremont, South Dakota, where she graduated as valedictorian from Claremont High School in 1949. She graduated cum laude from the University of South Dakota in 1953, where she studied English and art
Additionally, she also served on the board of advisers of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Henley placed first runner up in the Mission South Dakota pageant while in college. She began her career as a teacher at Summit High School in Summit, South Dakota.
Farrar served as the First Lady of South Dakota from 1969 to 1971.
Nationally, Farrar held a seat on the board of advisers for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington District of Columbia She wrote and performed a chautauqua based on the life of South Dakota"s first First Lady, Margaret Mellette. Death
Farrar died from Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s disease at Avera Saint Luke"s Hospital in Aberdeen, South Dakota, on October 31, 2015, at the age of 84.
Governor Dennis Daugaard ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on November 7, 2015, in Farrar"s honor.
She was also a member of the South Dakota Commission on the Status of Women, as well as the South Dakota State University"s advisory board for apparel and textiles.