Sarah Sharp Farish passed away Nov. 24 at home in Boca Grande, Fla., surrounded by her family. Raised in Wilmington, Del., Sarah was the daughter of Mary and Bayard Sharp. In 1961, she married the love of her life, Will Farish, owner of Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Ky. and former U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James.
She is survived by her husband, her son Bill Farish (Kelley), daughters Mary Farish Johnston (Dennis) and Laura Farish Chadwick (John). Beloved daughter Hillary Farish Stratton preceded her mother in death. Sarah is also survived by 17 grandchildren and their spouses: Hunter Farish Johnston (Emily), Sarah Sharp Malloy (William), Maggie Miller Johnston, Ande Farish Day (Lincoln), Sammy Farish Rosenstein (Ross), Lulu Farish Pohanka (Jason), William S. Farish III, Daisy Miller Farish, Robert Wood Farish, Coco Sharp Farish, Stormy Stokes Farish, Lilly Chadwick Poulson (Hundley), Isabella Sharp Chadwick, Stanford Clark Stratton, Bayard Farish Stratton, Wilson Sharp Stratton, and Jack Miller Stratton. Sarah was also blessed with nine great-grandchildren.
Sarah brought her quiet elegance to every setting, from her family home at Kentucky's Lane's End Farm to the sparkling Court of St. James in London, England, to her family's beloved Gasparilla Inn on Florida's Gulf Coast.
Her life with Will Farish over their 63 years of marriage was marked by many adventures, from the weekends of quail hunting at the Lazy F Ranch to the thrills of Thoroughbred horse racing, to serving their country in the diplomatic corps. In every facet of her life, she embodied strength, dignity, and charm.
Sarah bred and campaigned Texting, a mare by Lane's End stallion Candy Ride who went on to win the La Prevoyante Handicap (G3T) in 2013 for trainer Chad Brown.
Sarah was deeply devoted to her family and to the many causes she held dear. She grew up spending time in Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island, where her father owned the historic Gasparilla Inn. She shared her father's love of the inn and the island community. For the past 22 years, she dedicated herself to preserving and enhancing that wonderful island and inn property. She was a strong supporter of the Boca Grande Health Clinic, the Island School, and the Boca Grande Preschool as well as many other organizations and island businesses.
When Sarah took to something, she went all in. Among her many passions were golf (she was a multi-time club champion at the Idle Hour Country Club and the Gulfstream Golf Club), bird shooting, pottery, photography, gardening, and flower arranging. She also cherished the companionship of many dogs over the years, including Max, Rosie, Charlie, Cotton, Slipper, and Katie.
Sarah Sharp Farish leaves an enduring legacy for her children and grandchildren, all of whom revere the extraordinary life that she lived.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Gasparilla Inn Employee Care Fund for the Relief Effort in Jamaica, P.O. Box 1088 Boca Grande, Fla, 33921. A special thank you for the extraordinary efforts of Dr. Bret Kueber and the health clinic staff, and to the home care team of Debbie, Logan, Nettie, Nicolette, Francine, and Livette.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
