Rodney Downing Farrow (“Rod”) died peacefully in his sleep at his home on Abel’s Hill on Jan. 23, 2022. He first came to Martha’s Vineyard in the summer of 1940, returning every year until making it his permanent home in 1991.
Rod and his twin sister, Katherine (“Kit”) Farrow Jorrens, were born in Rochester, N.Y., on March 15, 1935, to Edward Samuel Farrow and Ruth Wilson Farrow. He and Kit joined older siblings Betty Ruth and Ted. His mother died in 1947, and his father subsequently married Marjorie (“Marnie”) Backus Farrow. Marnie and Ed had two children, Peter and Mary.
Rod graduated from Kent School in Kent, Conn., in 1953, and from Yale University in 1957. Shortly after graduation, he married Betty Steele in 1958. Rod and Betty lived in Rochester, where they raised their three children, and where he enjoyed a career at Eastman Kodak from 1958 until his retirement.
He had fond memories of his summer visits to Martha’s Vineyard from his youth. His father worked at Eastman Kodak as a chemical engineer, and his mother was a talented photographer who had access to early prototypes of Kodak’s motion picture film. Among the many films she took were movies capturing life on Martha’s Vineyard in the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s. Rod cared deeply about the legacy of his mother’s movies. He worked with Tom Dunlop at the Martha’s Vineyard Gazette to convert the films to a digital format. The original films and digital copies were then donated to the Martha’s Vineyard Museum.
Rod had many interests, including architecture, music, photography, and cars. Family and friends were also very important to him. Over the years, many friends and family members were lucky to get invited on the “walk.” The “walk” was a 12-mile hike along the shore of the Vineyard from Philbin Beach in Aquinnah to Chilmark Pond. The walks always produced stories of adventure and a day well spent with a friend or family member.
Rod was a planner at heart. “Measure twice, cut once” was a motto to live by. He taught all those around him the benefits of careful planning, and his many contributions to the Abel’s Hill community and to his family reflect this.
He is survived by Betty, his wife of 63 years; and his daughters Lee Farrow Cook and her husband Bob, Amy Farrow Thomas and her husband Jeff, and Kris Farrow Culp and her husband Rob; six grandchildren, Christina and Katherine Cook, Kayla and Cole Thomas, and Wes and Evie Culp; and many nieces and nephews and their families. Rod was predeceased by all his siblings.
His wife and daughters especially thank Mary Kamau and Sandie Corr-Dolby for their generous care during Rod’s final year of life.
A memorial service will be held in Abel’s Hill Cemetery in August 2022. Donations can be made to the organization of your choice.