Joseph M. Farrell -- Rochester

12/8/66 – 2/22/08

Rochester Fire Dept Firefighter

Date of Hire: 3/3/97

Mr. Farrell, 41, a Rochester firefighter, died Friday (Feb. 22, 2008) at Rochester Methodist Hospital, following a lengthy illness with pancreatic cancer.

Joseph Michael Farrell was born Dec. 8, 1966, in Minneapolis, and spent several years in south Minneapolis before his family moved to Burnsville, Minn. He graduated from Burnsville High School in 1985. He then joined the Army, went through MP training at Fort McClellan (Ark.), and was assigned to the 507th MP Company at Fort Bragg (N.C.). Following his active duty, he joined his family in Rochester, attended Rochester Community & Technical College, and worked in light construction with local companies. On April 24, 1992, he married Terri Landon at St. Pius X Catholic Church, in a ceremony conducted by his uncle, Fr. Patrick Tierney.

On March 3, 1997, Mr. Farrell was sworn in as a firefighter for the city of Rochester, and was assigned to Station One in downtown. Early in his career, he was dispatched to a severe car accident in which two children were trapped in the back seat. A large man, Mr. Farrell squeezed through a small opening in a broken window to get to the children. For that he earned the nickname "Shmoo," taken from a character in the Li'l Abner comic strip.

Mr. Farrell was also an instructor in the community college system firefighter programs, and provided specific instruction for other departments. He was responsible for drawing up the specifications for a number of local fire vehicles, as well as a disaster truck for the state. In 2007, he received a recommendation from the department's administration for Exchange Club Firefighter of the Year. He was also a member of the International Association of Firefighters, AFL/CIO, and Local 520, and was a coach with Rochester youth athletics.

Survivors include his wife; three sons, Landon Patrick Farrell, Michael Joseph Farrell and Jack Ryan Farrell, all at home; his parents, Patrick and Margaret Farrell of Rochester; and two brothers, Timothy John Farrell of Independence, Mo., and Mark Francis (Jenny) Farrell of Centerville, Minn. He was preceded in death by his grandparents.

Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Ranfranz & Vine Funeral Homes in Rochester, where firefighters from the Seventh St. station will stand watch. Visitation will continue an hour before the service Friday at the church.

Memorials are requested to the Farrell Boys Education Fund in care of Think Bank.