S. Stewart Farnet Sr.

Samuel Stewart Farnet, Sr., an architect and preservationist, passed away on December 26, 2018 at home surrounded by his loving family. He was 85 years old. Stewart was a native and lifelong resident of New Orleans, Louisiana until Hurricane Katrina in 2005 when the family moved to Mandeville, LA. A graduate of St. Aloysius High School, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture from Tulane University in 1955, and later received an honorary Master’s degree from Tulane. After serving two years in the Air Force, Stewart returned to New Orleans. His first job was as an architect with the French Quarter firm of Colbert and Lowery. Eventually the firm became Lowery, Hess, Boudreaux, and Farnet. In 1967, Farnet formed his own architectural practice with his offices on Royal Street. Over the years, his practice evolved and grew, eventually joining forces with Augie Perez to form Perez Ernst Farnet Architects. Some of his most notable buildings are the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, Harrah’s Casino, the Reily Student Recreation Center on the Tulane Campus and Zephyr Stadium. Mr. Farnet was a true preservationist using his time, his talents, and his passion to protect New Orleans culture. From his hands-on efforts to stop the riverfront expressway in the 1960s to his desire to re-use the Rivergate rather than have it demolished, Mr. Farnet’s love of New Orleans was evident in both his vision and his practice. Mr. Farnet was involved in numerous civic and philanthropic endeavors. He served two terms on the Vieux Carré Commission and was one of the original founders of the Vieux Carré Commission Foundation. He was President of The Harvey Canal Limited Partnership; He served on the board of directors of the River Road Historical Society/Destrehan Plantation of which he is a descendant; The Hermitage Plantation; The Louisiana State Museum; St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Baton Rouge and the City Park Improvement Association. He was President of the New Orleans Museum of Art when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005 and the museum awarded him a lifetime status. Mr. Farnet was Vice President and served on the Azby Fund board for 32 years where he helped steer funds to many regional non-profit organizations including The Archdiocese of New Orleans, The New Orleans Museum of Art and Tulane University where he helped establish the Harvey-Wadsworth Chair in Urban Studies in the School of Architecture. Mr. Farnet was also an avid member of numerous social and business clubs. He was a long time member of the Tally Ho Club, the oldest hunting and fishing club in the U.S.; the Bienville Club; the Southern and Bay-Waveland Yacht Clubs, Toastmasters Club of New Orleans and several Mardi Gras Organizations. More important to Mr. Farnet than all of his accomplishments and related activities was the time he spent with his immediate and extended family. A true gentleman and a good listener with a great sense of humor, Stewart liked nothing more than spending quality time with his kids, grandkids, and other family members. Most recently, he authored and illustrated his memoir, A Letter to Samuel, which included hand rendered, colored elevation drawings of each of his homes over the course of his life. The writing of this book was a labor of love for Stewart. In less than a six month period beginning a month before his 83rd birthday, he wrote this book from memory. Within a year, the book was written, illustrated, and printed and then presented to his family at their annual Christmas eve celebration in December of 2017. He was preceded in death by his parents, Marcelle Joseph Farnet, Sr. and Dorothy Louise Stewart Farnet and his sister Dolly Farnet Stakelum. He is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Aimée Dubus Farnet and their four children Sam Farnet (Cindy), Ashley Allen Farnet, Clay Harvey Farnet and Aimée Farnet Siegel (Mike); 10 grandchildren, one great grandchild; his siblings Corinne Villarrubia, Yvette Gonzales, Marcel Farnet and many nieces and nephews. The family would like to express their most sincere gratitude to his doctors, James Carinder, Howard Russel, and Leroy Morgan, and to his son, Clay, who has provided tireless care to his father over the recent years. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Archdiocese of New Orleans and the New Orleans Museum of Art. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the Memorial Mass at OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY, 3368 Esplanade Avenue, New Orleans, on Saturday afternoon, January 5, 2018 at 1:30. Visitation will begin at 12:30. Inurnment will follow in the adjacent St. Louis Cemetery No. 3. An online guestbook is available at www.leitzeaganfuneralhome.com.