In Memoriam: Richard T. Farrior, MD, AAO-HNS/F President 1989–1990

Richard T. Farrior, MD, who was an energetic, compassionate, and convening leader in the otolaryngology specialty, served as President of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and its Foundation (AAO-HNS/F) from 1989–1990. Dr. Farrior passed away on October 13, 2024, three months shy of his 100th birthday.

The vision and enthusiasm that Dr. Farrior brought to his presidency launched the Academy into the new decade with yet another year of major accomplishments across a broad spectrum of Academy endeavors.

During his presidency, Dr. Farrior was committed to strengthening the participation of the specialty in legislative affairs and to increasing the image of medicine and the specialty as a moral, ethical community. Through his Bulletin columns, he shared a consistent message, “I can’t urge each member enough to participate in community benevolent activities. It is not enough that we are truly a noble profession, but in the current climate, the public and the government need yet again to be convinced of this.”

During his term, he also presented the Academy’s first Distinguished Award for Humanitarian Efforts and established a task force on specialty unity as a proactive response to continued inter-specialty conflicts. Furthermore, to strengthen the effectiveness of the Academy’s legislative efforts and grassroots network, the Health Policy Commission was established. His broad involvement in regional and national professional associations was highlighted by his service as a founding and executive council member of the American Society for Head and Neck Surgery and his presidency of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Farrior started college at the University of Florida, where he served as president of his ATO pledge class, but he transferred to the University of Miami to enlist in the Navy through the V-12 Officer Training Program and help the war effort. He was president of his class at the University of Miami. He worked as an operating room technician in the Naval Hospital at Key West in the waning years of World War II. He then attended Duke Medical School, where he was again elected class president and, more importantly, met his bride, Betty Bodkin, who was in nursing school. Dr. Farrior completed his general surgical training at the University of Michigan, his otolaryngology residency at the University of Iowa, and his plastic surgery fellowship at the Strath Clinic in Detroit, Michigan. After completing his training, he again served his country during the Korean War.

Dr. Farrior returned to Tampa and joined his brother, J. Brown Farrior, Jr., MD, in practice. At the time, they had one of only two non-university affiliated otolaryngology training programs in the country at Tampa General Hospital. This was one of the foundational residencies for the University of South Florida Medical School. He was director of the residency training program in otolaryngology and maxillofacial surgery at Tampa General Hospital for 22 years, and he was a visiting professor at universities throughout the world. He was the first clinical professor in otolaryngology at the University of Florida and the University of South Florida.

Dr. Farrior practiced facial plastic surgery in Tampa until he was 77 years old. He always maintained his passion for teaching during his practice.

“Do justice, show kindness, and walk humbly,” were the parting thoughts from Dr. Farrior as shared by Edward Farrior, MD, Dr. Farrior’s son, who is the sixth generation of surgeons in the Farrior family and an AAO-HNS member.