Influential state school leader Farley dies at 73

Dan Farley, a former executive director of the Arkansas School Boards Association, died Wednesday.

He was recently diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer, according to the family’s obituary notice with Ruebel Funeral Home. He was 73.

Farley joined the Arkansas School Boards Association in 1979, starting out as publications director. He also organized regional and state conferences. In 1999, he became executive director, working with locally elected school board members across the state, as well as educators, legislators and governors.

During his overall tenure with the Arkansas School Boards Association, the state introduced changes in education that included mandatory teacher testing, new minimum education standards and school funding.

When Farley retired as executive director of the Arkansas School Boards Association in 2013, officials dedicated the “Dan B. Farley Board Development Center” — where the organization holds its board meetings — in his honor.

Farley, born in Bentonville on July 4, 1949, grew up in Heber Springs. His family moved to Arizona when he was a preteen and where he developed a love of art, food and the people of the American Southwest. He graduated from Hendrix College in Conway. After his graduation, he taught for about year and then joined the Arkansas Democrat newspaper as a reporter.

“During his time there,” his family wrote in his obituary, “he was a co-leader in efforts to organize a union at the paper. Though these efforts were unsuccessful, it led to a treasured friendship with H. L. Mitchell, a co-founder of the Southern Tenant Farmer’s Union.”

Later on, Farley joined the Pulaski County Special School District — then the state’s largest public school system — as communications director.

His outside interests included the theater, art and public broadcasting. Farley served on the boards of the Community Theater group and the AETN Foundation.

“As a leader in his later pursuits, Dan was deeply committed to diversity and inclusion, long before it was a topic of debate,” his family said. “One of his favorite sayings was — ‘ people support what they build.’ He was a strong supporter of democratic ideals, equality of people from all backgrounds, and a liberal social agenda.”