[BC] Bill Farmer's passing

[Alan Kline]

Passing this along for anyone in SoCal who might have known
Mr. Farmer...

>Hello, everyone--
>
>Some sad news... Bill Farmer passed away last night, Thursday, July 27
>at 6:53pm.  Bill's sister Pat Ward was at his side and said that Bill
>wasn't in any pain at the time of his death.  Most of you know that he
>was fighting a hard battle with cancer these past months.  We're happy
>that he was able to make a visit to Train Mountain in Chiloquin, Oregon
>a few weeks ago for their Triennial Meet, a trip that Bill had been
>looking forward to for a long time.
>
>A copy of the obituary follows below.  Thanks to everyone for your kind
>thoughts & prayers and for being a friend to Bill.
>
>Sincerely,
>Pat Ward
>Steve Waller
>wallerworld at email.com
>
>---------------
>FARMER- William A. Farmer, age 61, passed away July 27, 2006 in Sierra
>Madre, CA, after a long battle with cancer.  He was born on June 16,
>1945 in Los Angeles.
>
>Bill graduated from UC Riverside, majoring in mathematics.  Bill was the
>founding chief engineer of the campus radio station KUCR and was once
>photographed at the control board by Ansel Adams.
>
>Bill began his career as a radio engineer, employed with KABC and KMPC,
>among other stations.  Bill worked the Dodger broadcasts with Vin Scully
>and was known as “Engineer Bill” on the Gary Owens radio show.
>
>Bill had a life-long interest in railroading, making it both his hobby
>and career.  He managed private railroad passenger cars and rode the
>rails all over North America.  He particularly loved riding trains in
>Mexico, and was involved with numerous railroad clubs in Southern
>California.
>
>Bill spent his final years producing videos about railroading and
>planning for his retirement at Train Mountain Railroad Museum in
>Chiloquin, OR.  www.trainmountain.org
>
>Bill is survived by his sister Pat Ward and her husband Lloyd of
>Plainview, TX; nephews Clay Ward of Dallas and Cody Ward of Plainview
>and their wives; three great-nephews and one great-niece.  Bill’s
>parents, William and Azalea Farmer, preceded him in death.  A memorial
>service for Bill will be planned at a later date.  Contributions can be
>made to Pacific Railroad Society of San Marino, CA. 
>www.pacificrailroadsociety.org