Woodard Eason Farmer, Jr. (1948 – 2024)
Woodard Eason Farmer, Jr. (Woody) passed peacefully in the shadow of Mt. Pisgah on February 20, 2024, in his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. He was surrounded by his devoted family and his beloved wife, Mickey. Upon Woody’s passing, those gathered around him erupted in spontaneous applause for a life well lived.
To summarize Woody is a herculean feat. His generosity of spirit and expansive curiosity were legendary, and he was an amazing husband, father, and friend to all. Woody lived life to the fullest, and was a storyteller extraordinaire. Wherever he went he collected experiences, inspiration, and treasures. Woody captured countless hearts on his journeys, thanks to his wit, southern charm, humor, and love of humanity.
Woody’s appetite for adventure was insatiable and featured expeditions in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Patagonia, the Alps, and the Tian Shan of Kyrgyzstan, to name a few. One of his proudest accomplishments was completing the Appalachian Trail, which he started in 1995 with his daughter Jennifer. His trail name was Dancing Bear, an image of which he had tattooed on his forearm. When he wasn’t lacing up his boots, he was studying maps of all sorts, from simple trail guides to his collection of antique maps dating back to the 16th century.
There was hardly a subject that Woody hadn’t studied, and he particularly loved learning about geography, history, and exploration. Among his many life highlights, Woody worked with his daughter Ellen on historical research for a groundbreaking National Geographic documentary on JFK and earned an Emmy nomination for his research on MLK: The Lost Tapes.
In his own words, Woody explained:
“As I grew up, I discovered that I had a passion for how people, histories, and cultures connected. I’ve always felt lucky to have grown up in such a fascinating and historic place as Asheville. Here I was able to grasp the small histories, such as family and regional histories, that form the fabric of this community. I was also able to look beyond, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, into Appalachia and far beyond, north toward New Jersey, where my mother was raised, and south toward New Orleans, where I met my wife, Mickey. The two things that guided my way were my geographical curiosity and my hunger for historical inquiry. What I discovered was that histories and boundary lines are never quite as neat and tidy as we would like them to be. That’s why studying history is a lifelong pursuit of mine. We all have a contribution to make because we can all offer different perspectives, memories, and interpretations of who we are and where we’re going. It has been my longtime hope that my own passion for history and storytelling will contribute in some small way to our collective understanding of the world around us.”
Woody’s lust for life left no room for regrets, with the sole exception of the time his appendix burst before he hit the road to Woodstock in 1969. While his friends were drenched in the heady life party in upstate NY, Woody had to convalesce in a hospital room. As an audiophile, he made up for that void with a lifetime full of blues, bluegrass, and rock concerts, including his annual pilgrimage to MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC. His playlists were impeccable and his stereo system was always on and cranked.
Woody’s education included attending Lee Edwards High School (now Asheville High School), graduating in 1966. Tulane University, where he received a BA in History and Political Science in 1970, and Vanderbilt Law School, where he received his JD in 1974. Woody attained the rank of Captain in the U.S. military 108th Reserve Division (Charlotte) 1975–1977, following his ROTC duties at Tulane and then officer training at Fort Eustis, Virginia.
As an attorney specializing in commercial real estate and development, Woody was brilliant, crafty, and dedicated to his clients. He practiced with Ervin, Horack & McCartha (later Horack, Talley, Pharr & Lowndes) 1974–1984. Then, Parker, Poe, Adams & Bernstein 1984–2011. Before and after retiring to Asheville in 2011, Woody developed office buildings, subdivisions, townhomes and hotels in Asheville, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, and Chapel Hill/ Carrboro.
A lifelong dutiful civilian and conservationist, Woody served several terms on the Historical Preservation Commission of Asheville, and also worked on the I-26 Aesthetics Committee. He volunteered with numerous Appalachian land conservation and restoration projects, assisted in efforts to protect thousands of acres of wilderness, and loved his weekly service helping US veterans at the AB Tech Veterans Cafe.
Woody is survived by Mickey (née Burke, originally of New Orleans), his loving wife of more than 50 years. Three children: Christopher Eason Farmer, an attorney in Washington, D.C., Jennifer Burke Farmer, MD, a psychiatrist in Asheville, and Ellen Burke Farmer, a documentary producer in Malibu, California. He helped create four beautiful grandchildren: Greta and Carolyn Farmer Rosenthal of Asheville, and Lawson and Reynolds Jennings of Malibu. He had devoted sons-in-law, Dan Rosenthal, George Stone, and Tom Jennings as his crew. He has loving younger siblings, brother Mark (and Denise) Farmer of Charlotte and sister Pamela Farmer of Arden, North Carolina. His full extended family was made from the absolutely huge multitudes of friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and brand new people he met and loved. Not to forget a truly wild rumpus of dogs, cats, and other creatures over the years.
The Farmer family is truly grateful and blessed to have your friendship and support. Just like us, we are sure you loved Woody.
Please reach out to us to share your favorite Woody moments!
In lieu of flowers, we would be honored if you would consider a gift to Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy or the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, two of Woody’s favorite organizations.
There will be a memorial service at Riverside Cemetery in Asheville, NC at noon on April 21, 2024, followed by a celebration of life at the Farmer Residence in Montford.