Local civic leader and politician, Don Francis Farmer, age 75 of Milan, passed away suddenly at the Jackson Madison County General Hospital on September 21, 2022. Don, a member of the Northside Baptist Church in Milan, was born on February 12, 1947 to Robert Paul and Laura Louise Allred Farmer in Lavinia. After high school graduation, he spent many years working at ITT in Milan and later at Ekco-Glaco (Chicago Metallic) in Humboldt, Dickies' Florist and opened and managed the Huddle House Restuarant in Milan, but his true love of life was his evolvement in many civic and political endeavors that he truly dedicated as his lifes calling. Those endeavors were not only on the local scene, but on the state and national scene as well. Many of those are listed below: Milan civic duties - Mayor of Milan 1992-1997, Member of Milan Chamber of Commerce since 2005, Milan Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year 2004, Milan Rebounders Club President 2004 2011, Board of Directors of the Milan Chamber of Commerce 2018 2021, Milan Mirror Volunteer of the Year 2016 2018, Milan Outstanding Young Man of the Year 1973, Milan General Hospital Healthcare Board and in 2014 served as the Chairman of the Annual Fundraising Gala and at the time of his death, he was serving on the Board of Trustees for the Milan Special School District and as Chairman of the Milan Chapter of the West TN Healthcare Foundation. Don was also the past president of the West Carroll Area Alumni Association from 2008 - 2010. Jaycees Club Past Milan President 1971 1972, Past State President 1983, awarded lifetime membership in 1988, TN Outstanding State Project Chairman 1970 1971, State of TN Volunteer Corps and served on the Jaycees International Senate. Gibson County Graduate of the first class of the Gibson Co. Adult Leadership Class 1990, served as Chairman of the Gibson Co. Sesquicentennial 1973 and was a past member of the Gibson County Election Commission. State of TN TN Outstanding Young Man of the Year 1980, TN Municipal League Board of Directors 1993 1997 and was appointed by Governor McWherter as a Colonel for the Aid to Camp. With the Tennesee State University he was presently serving on the TN Cares Early Headstart Policy Council and Government Board. A lifelong Democrat, he was the awarded the TN Young Democrat Life Membership in 1999, was appointed as an Ambassador of Good Will by President Clinton, served on the TN Democratic Executive Committee begining in 1986, was a past President of the Gibson Co. Democratic Party and in 2016 was a delegate from TN for the National Democratic Convention. But probably one of his most cherished endeavors was his work in area regional libraries but especially his work with Imagination Library. Don worked tirelessly to help raise money to get this program started and he served as Chairman for the Gibson County Imagination Library from 2006 2010 and again from 2017 2018, Chairman of the Reelfoot Regional Library Board from 2010 2012, Chairman of the Obion River Library Board from 2012 present and in 2009 was named the State of TN Library Association Trustee of the Year. He was survived by his "Grandchildren" Alan Staggs and Matt Staggs both of Milan, their parents James and Audrey Staggs of Milan, brother Bill Farmer (Anita) of Jackson, and friends Richard and Rebecca Rushing of Milan. Besides his parents, Don was preceded in death by a sister Betty Walsh and a brother Robert Paul "Butch" Farmer. Funeral service will be held on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at 2 pm at Bodkin Funeral Home with burial to follow in the Gibson County Memory Gardens near Milan. Visitation with the family will be held on Saturday from 2 8 pm and on Sunday from 12 2 pm at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to the Imagination Library or the MEGA (Milan Endowment for Growth in Academics) @ P O Box 641 Milan, TN 38358. Don truly lived by the Jaycee Creed, "Service to humanity is the best work of life." Celebration of Life Sunday, September 25, 2022 2:00 PM Bodkin Funeral Home 2000 South 1ST Milan, Tennessee 38358