Shari Farrar

Shari Farrar passed away on May 17, 2025, in Fort Smith, Arkansas. She was born on July 27, 1946, in Wagoner, Oklahoma, to Cecil and Peggy Brown. She was the eldest sibling of Gary, Denise, and Doug. She often spoke about her time growing up in a military household and held fond memories of her childhood in Japan. She was proud of her participation in the Women’s Rights Movement of the 1960s and 1970s in Washington, D.C. She moved to Arkansas for work as part of the 1990 census and quickly found a place she would forever call home. Shortly after settling in Fort Smith, she began taking classes part-time at Westark Community College and graduated eight years later with a bachelor’s degree from Arkansas State University. She met Troy Marvin Farrar in the mid-1990s, and the two married a decade later. She had demanding expectations of those she loved. She struggled with mental health issues that made maintaining relationships difficult for her. Because of that, her children longed for the chance to have a more loving and nurturing relationship with her. As her grandchildren began arriving, Shari would say, “I may not have been a good mother, but I’m going to be the world’s best Grammie!” She spent the final years of her life doing everything she could to live up to that. She is survived by her children: Brady Beaver, Courtney Beaver, and Kenny Beaver; and her grandchildren: Konner Rowan, Daisy Young, Caleb Rowan, Rylan Beaver, and Payton Beaver. She was preceded in death by her oldest child, Brett Aldridge; her parents; and her brother, Gary. In a final message to those she loved, Shari wanted us to know: “I am going to miss you. I loved you so.”