Dr. Martin Farias III, 35, of Kingsville passed away Saturday, April 12, 2008, surrounded by his loving family. Dr. Farias was among the first faculty members hired at the Texas A&M Health Science Center Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy, serving as assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences.
“Dr. Martin Farias was a consummate teacher, a promising scholar, and a caring and conscientious colleague who was loved by faculty, staff and students,” said Indra K. Reddy, Ph.D., founding dean of the HSC-Rangel College of Pharmacy. “Dr. Farias was a model faculty citizen who exemplified the College’s governing values – care, concern, courtesy, compassion and competence – to the core. The College of Pharmacy, and I personally, will deeply miss him.”
Dr. Farias received his Ph.D. in physiology from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth in 2003. He taught at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center before coming to the HSC- COP in summer 2006.
During his brief career with the Health Science Center, Dr. Farias received many honors. In September 2007, he was inducted into the HSC Cardiovascular Research Institute. He was also appointed to the American Physiology Society Professional Skills Training Advisory Board and served as a mentor for the American Physiological Society Travel Fellows Program and for the National Institutes of Health Minority Access to Research Careers Program.
Dr. Farias was a 2007 recipient of the Steps Toward Academic Research fellowship, receiving a grant from the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities to stimulate research in health disparities.
“Dr. Farias established a wonderful rapport with the pharmacy students and a great working relationship with faculty and staff,” said Anna Ratka, Ph.D., Pharm.D., chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. “Dr. Farias was always eager to volunteer and take initiative. His smile never left him. Through his productivity and dedication, Martin made significant contributions to the new Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and to the overall growth of the College of Pharmacy.”
Pharmacy students recalled Dr. Farias’ love for his work, both in and out of the classroom.
“Dr. Farias was a very kind and fair professor and mentor,” said Jennifer Thompson, second-year pharmacy student. “He managed to maintain a professional relationship with his students but still made us feel like he was one of us. He was a very real person who worked tirelessly towards two goals: teaching us the material we needed to know and making us laugh every day. His smile was contagious, and he was caring, too.”
Justin Markley, second-year pharmacy student, said: “His lectures were clear, concise, accurate and, without fail, he would include a bit of humor. It was not uncommon for one of his family members or another faculty member to appear in one of his presentation slides as part of a joke. It was all in good fun! Dr. Farias was a good man, and we will miss him greatly. He was here from the beginning, with the Class of 2010, and we are privileged to have had him for the time that we did. It is a shame that future classes will not have the same experience.”
Dr. Farias is survived by his wife of six years, Valerie, four young children – Haley, John, Gianna and Isabella – his mother, Mary Lou Mayorga, his father, Martin Farias Jr., his brother, Danny (Christy) Farias, his sister, Janine (Mario) Maldonado, his maternal grandparents, Daniel and Francis Ramirez, paternal grandmother, Rosa Farias, and numerous aunts, uncles and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his maternal great-grandparents, Juan and Maria Luisa (Wicha) Zarate, and his paternal grandfather, Martin Farias Sr.
Those interested may send scholarship donations made payable to the Texas A&M Health Science Center Foundation – Martin Farias, III, Scholarship Fund at the following address: Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy, Texas A&M Health Science Center, 1010 W. Avenue B., Kingsville, Texas 78363.
