Rev. William Robert "Bobby" Farmer

The Rev. William Robert “Bobby” Farmer, 75, of Columbia, was called home to the Lord on February 22, 2026.

Bobby was born, May 8, 1950, in Rocky Mount, N.C., the son of the late William Benjamin Farmer and Beatrice Batts Farmer. He served in the U.S. Army as a combat engineer during the Vietnam War, enlisting in 1968 and subsequently being deployed to South Vietnam during the height of the fighting. He was honorably discharged at the rank of sergeant in 1971.

Married for 56 years to the love of his life, Bonnie Jordan Farmer, Bobby attended and graduated from both Columbia Bible College (today Columbia International University) in Columbia, S.C. (Class of 1990), and Reformed Theological Seminary (Class of 1994) in Orlando, Florida.

For 15 years, Bobby served as associate pastor for missions at Columbia’s Northeast Presbyterian Church, where he also led Bible study groups and taught Sunday School among other church leadership responsibilities. He was the former senior pastor at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Blythewood. And he was the founding director and CEO of Project Josiah Restoration Ministries, assisting military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Bobby also served for four years as national chaplain of the Combat Vets Motorcycle Association, and he served as a chaplain with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. 

Bobby is survived by his beloved wife, Bonnie, his two children – son, Robert William Farmer and daughter, Jordan Ashley Farmer Smith – a granddaughter, Paige Elizabeth Smith and a sister, Patricia Farmer Whitley.

Internment Services will be held at 12:00 PM on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Fort Jackson National Cemetery, 4170 Percival Road, Columbia, SC 29229. A Memorial Service will follow at 1:00 pm at Northeast Presbyterian Church, 601 Polo Road, Columbia, SC 29223 with a visitation/reception also at Northeast Presbyterian immediately following the service.

The South Carolina Cremation Society is assisting the family.