Memoriam Bob Farquharson | Former Case President

Robert ("Bob") Neal Farquharson, born June 11, 1920, in Salamanca, NY, passed away on Sunday (Aug. 5, 2012), in Plano, Texas.

This graduate of Bradford High School served in World War II from 1942-46 in the United States Army Air Force as a glider pilot and in the 2nd Air Force Finance Department. After the war, Mr. Farquharson worked as an assistant bookkeeper at Miller Lumber Company in Bradford, Pa., two years as sales engineer at Lyon Metal Products, and then joined W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company as a salesman in 1954. He then progressed to Sales Manager, Vice President of Sales, to President and finally Chief Operating Officer.

Bob was responsible for many significant achievements at Case. He was one of the first to successfully open new business for Case in the northeast U.S. He helped develop and market the M-1 Survival Knife that flew on all of NASA's Gemini and Apollo missions, including the historic lunar landing by Apollo 11 in 1965. Bob was also instrumental in officially forming the Case Collectors Club with 462 charter members in 1981. This organization, whose membership now numbers more than 18,000, is now widely considered the largest known knife collecting association in the world.

Bob retired from Case in 1982 and moved to Henrietta, Texas, where he served as Clay County Republican Chairman. His wife, Fay Ruth Harding Farquharson, was originally from Henrietta. The two met while he was in glider pilot training in Lubbock, Texas and she was attending Texas Tech. They married in December 1943. Fay Ruth passed away a year ago.

In honor of his dedication and record of achievement, Mr. Farquharson was inducted to Case's Wall of Fame as a Case Legend in 2002, an honor he shares in common with only three other former associates of this 123-year old company.

Bob's civic duties included serving on the Board of Directors for Swingline, Inc. and as President and board member of the American Cutlery Manufacturing Association, Bradford Chamber of Commerce, Bradford Area United Way, Pennhills Club, Bradford Hospital and Bradford Club.

We at W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company wish to express our heartfelt condolences to Bob's family and our deepest gratitude for his hard work, visionary leadership and spirit for America. Bob's influence at Case, and in the Bradford community, will continue to be felt for many, many more years.

Bob tells us about his time at Case (Legends & Lore excerpt)