September 24, 1967 ~ July 31, 2025
John B. Farnham, 57, entered eternal life on July 31, 2025. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Farnham; daughter Elizabeth Farnham; stepchildren Nic St. Croix (Rachel), and Olivia Moses (Shane); grandchildren, Liam, and Tristan Moses; brother Michael Farnham; nieces Autumn, and Skylar; brother Edward Farnham (Laura); nephews Josh, and Connor, and niece Emma. Preceding him in death were his parents, Donald and Norma Farnham.
He was a loved Husband, Father, Grandfather, and brother as well as a devoted teacher and hockey coach. He was born in Winchester, Massachusetts, grew up in Reading, Massachusetts, and resided in Rochester, NY for the last 30 years of his life. He graduated high school from Avon Old Farms School, in Avon, Connecticut and attended West Point for one year and then transferred to Rochester Institute of Technology in 1987. While there, he was a defenseman on the RIT Tigers Ice Hockey team graduating in 1991. He started his teaching career in 1994 at Hilton High School, NY, teaching U.S. history. In 1995, alongside Chris Monfiletto, he began coaching the Hilton Cadets Ice Hockey team and served for many years in that position. He earned his master’s degree at SUNY Brockport, graduating in 1996.
John was an avid reader and had a true love for books, sports, and teaching. He was a die-hard Red Sox fan and those who knew him can still hear his voice reciting stats in his Boston accent. His love for the classroom and how he brought history alive left a lifelong impact on so many of his students. He was a man who enjoyed the simple things in life and found much joy reminiscing about his lifelong friendships. He was a selfless and generous man who made friends wherever he went. His laughter and sense of humor will be greatly missed. May he finally be at peace.
Flowers will be accepted, or memorial donations may be made to the Veterans Outreach Center at 447 South Ave, Rochester, NY 14620. Their website is www.veteransoutreachcenter.org. In the drop-down menu under “Donations,” you can donate in memory of John.
Visiting Hours will be held from 1 pm to 3 pm on Saturday, August 23rd at Bartolomeo & Perotto Funeral Home at 1141 Vintage Lane, Rochester, NY 14626. A Memorial Service will immediately follow at 3 pm.
