Earl James Farley Jr.

“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith …” II Timothy 4:6,7

Earl James Farley, Jr. was born September 3, 1941 to the union of the late Mary “Mammie” Chambers Farley and Earl James Farley, Sr. in Savannah, Georgia.  He was the only child born to this union, but immediately became the big brother to his additional siblings.  He attended public schools and graduated from high school in Savannah, Georgia.  Earl enlisted in the United States Army on June 12, 1962 and served his country while being deployed to Europe.  He later enrolled at Tennessee State University and became a star basketball player.  He met and married the love of his life Ruby Matthews Gilmore on June 21, 1969 at St. Paul Catholic Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and to this union was born Earl Derek Farley and Donna Nicole Farley.  He later moved to New Orleans, Louisiana to rear his family and began his career as an Insurance Agent/Adjuster.  Earl was a devout Catholic until relocating to Baton Rouge, Louisiana via Hurricane Katrina.  After several visits, he later joined Living Faith Christian Center under the leadership of Bishop Raymond Johnson and was baptized.  He began immediately working and began to serve on the Ushers Ministry faithfully until his health began to decline and he was unable to attend worship services regularly. Earl was a member of the Council on Aging-Perkins Road Site where he was noted for his dancing ability and very involved in the activities that the center offered.  He also enjoyed line dancing under the instructions of Mrs. Gracie Perkins, playing basketball, listening to jazz music, taking long walks in the neighborhood and spending quality time with family and especially his grandkids. Earl departed this life on Wednesday, June 25, 2024, at 12:01 PM at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital. Earl’s life will forever be remembered and impacted on the lives of his devoted son, Earl Derek Farley and his wife, Melissa of Kennesaw, Georgia; his loving daughter, Donna Nicole Farley-Thibodeaux and her special friend, Christopher R. Gray; five grandchildren whom he adored, Asia Raymond of Grand Prairie, Texas, Joshua Thibodeaux, Sgt. Gabrielle “Gabby” Thibodeaux, Xavier Thibodeaux and Elijah Thibodeaux; two great grand-children, Alania Raymond and E’Mazi Connor; bonus grandchildren, Corey Green, Kobi Gray and Kristina Gray; siblings and their spouses, Thelma Earlyne (Samuel) Cahoon, Charles Farley, and Ossie M. Howard; brothers and sisters-in-law, Barbara (Oscar) Woods, Carolyn McKee, Yvonne Wilson, R. Jacqueline (Willie) LeBeau and Matthew Murlin Gilmore; three God-Children, Charles Dwight Farley, Lillian D. Harrison and Ida Sydney; a very special person whom he adopted as foster God-Child; nieces, nephews, cousins other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, parents and grandparents