Re: [Harp-L] Richard Farrell

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'm saddened to hear of Richard Farrell's death, even though it was not
unexpected. 

It feels like the end of an era. Dick Farrell was someone who did a
huge amount to promote the harmonica. He was a visionary who had the
commercial savvy and influence to effect much of what he envisioned. He
promoted - and marketed - construction methods like separate attachment
of each reedplate and cover, and even attachment of each reed with a
nut and a screw post installed in the reedplate. His pioneering mail
order operation pioneered wide consumer choice at discount pricing
regardless of location. One could almost say that he was the amazon.com
of harmonica before there such a thing as a dot.com. He generated such
large sales figures that he had considerable influence with harmonica
manufacturers. 

Well past his seventieth year the man seemed to have limitless energy.
Whenever I called him on the telephone, I knew I would need to budget
at least an hour for the conversation; his enthusiasm and ideas would
keep the conversation going for at least that long, with no chance of
cutting it short. Yet he slept something like four hours a night.

Dick had a temper to be sure, and some felt it who did not believe it
warranted, usually the result of some misunderstanding. My own dealings
with him, both personally and in business transactions, were always of
the most friendly nature.

Just the other day I was wondering to myself if he ever received SPAH's
Bernie Bray Harmonica Player of the Year Award? He certainly deserved
it.

I wish I had a photograph of that Irish face with the shock of white
hair and beard wreathing those eyes that twinkled and the mouth with
the knowing, slight smile. 

Winslow

--- rick epping <rickepping@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi Folks,
> 
> John Murphy just informed me of the passing of Richard Farrell. 
> Following
> is the obituary from The Columbus Dispatch
>
http://www.legacy.com/Dispatch/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=86639437
> :
> 
> Richard E. Farrell, age 86, of Grove City, passed away Sunday,
> February 25,
> 2007. Richard was the owner of F & R Farrell Co., in which he sold
> harmonicas world wide and was a WWII Army veteran. Preceded in death
> by his
> wife Alice Farrell and daughter Belin Marconi. Survivors include his
> grandchildren, Bernadette R., Dominic E. and Marina M. Marconi;
> son-in-law,
> Edward Marconi. Friends may visit Thursday from 2-3 p.m. at THE
> SPENCE-MILLER FUNERAL HOME, 2697 Columbus Street, Grove City, where
> prayer
> service will be held at 3 p.m. Interment will take place Friday at
> Calvary
> Cemetery in Pittsburgh, PA. Online guest book at *
> www.spencemillerfuneralhome.com*
> <http://www.spencemillerfuneralhome.com/>.
> 
>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Richard was a friend to many, and a true champion of the harmonica.
> 
> Best regards,
> Rick Epping
> _______________________________________________
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> 



 
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