Obituary of Norman Scott Farthing

Norman Scott Farthing, 58, passed away Saturday, November 15, 2014. Scott is survived by his parents, Don and Lucille Farthing; his loving wife of 33 years, Judy Farthing; sons, Everett Michael Farthing, Nolan Kyle Farthing; daughter, Amanda Leigh Farthing; brother, Donald Wayne Farthing; sister, Pamela Jean Farthing and spouse, Tammy; and a host of other family and friends. Born in Hollywood, CA, Scott seemed to take on the Larger than Life personality of the city. Some might wonder at the mystery that was Norman Scott Farthing, but there really wasn’t a mystery about him. Did he have a larger than life personality? Absolutely. Did his personality and generous nature attract others to him? Definitely. Was he rich and famous? Yes, but not in the monetary way of Hollywood. He was rich in friends, family, and purpose in life. Scott attended Texas A&M, where he earned a double Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry. He prospered at Texas A&M where the core values held a strong meaning to him and he is a prime example of each of these values. The Aggie core values include excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect and self-less service. Excellence has a variety of meanings to different people, but to Scott that meant working hard, taking care of your responsibilities, and striving to overcome any challenges along the way. Integrity is how Scott held himself when interacting with others, whether in his personal or professional life. He stood by his word, honored his promises, and proved reliable in all his dealings. Scott never shied away from any leadership opportunities, from leading his son’s Boy Scout troop, he was an Eagle Scout at 13 years old, to leading projects that resulted in the safety of pipelines. Scott did his best to lead by example in how he dealt with people, having a strong work ethic, and holding himself to a higher standard of accountability. Scott believed in being loyal to those close to him, no matter what they might be going through. Scott proved his loyalty by standing by people when they made mistakes, lost their way, or when hard times fell on them. He would offer solutions, guidance, and opportunities for them to succeed. He believed in second chances, no matter how long it took for others to find their way. Scott took joy in assisting others advance in their careers, even if it surpassed his own. Scott earned respect with his integrity, leadership, and loyalty and how he interacted with others. He gained the respect by giving his word and producing the promised results. Selfless Service is probably the one Aggie core value that encompasses Scott as a whole. He shared his knowledge, strength, kindness, guidance, friendship, and love freely, honestly, and unconditionally. While at Texas A&M, he not only worked hard, but he found the love of his life. It was during his time at Texas A&M that he met Judy, his wife of 33 years, at a party. For a year he would drive 10 hours one way, every weekend from Laredo to Waco, to spend time with Judy, a lot of the time taking her dancing. This was the beginning of a long journey that Scott and Judy would travel together containing hardships that are outweighed by the numerous joys that can be created by two people with a love as strong as theirs. It was about making every moment count and appreciating what you have. Scott and Judy have three children, Everett Michael Farthing, an NDT Technician, Amanda Leigh Farthing, an Assistant Buyer with Academy Sports + Outdoors and a culinary student at the Art Institute of Houston, and Nolan Kyle Farthing, a student at San Jacinto Community College. For his children, he sacrificed much, but he would claim he gained more in return. To attend baseball games, he would drive hours to be at the game, no matter how much sleep he lost. This is just one example of his sacrifice, but he would say that it was worth every second of lost sleep. He loved to be involved in his kid’s life, knowing that family is the most important thing in the world. Scott was an excellent provider for his family and did his best to provide as many opportunities for his family as he was able to. Obtaining a 3 year position in Denmark allowed him the opportunity to share and expand his knowledge, but also gave his family the opportunity to travel to international countries and experience new cultures. Scott taught classes in Dubai and all around the world, having built a strong reputation in his field. He was a wonderful example to his family of how to live life to the fullest and will be missed by all who knew and loved him. A Memorial Service for Scott will be held Thursday, November 20, 2014 at 2:00 pm at Clayton Funeral Home, 5530 W. Broadway, Pearland, Texas 77581. For those who wish to attend, the family encourages you to wear Aggie maroon and white colors or an Aggie T-Shirt in honor of Scott Farthing.