Richard Robert Farmer was born on January 9, 1924 at Omaha, Nebraska. He was the son of Arthur William and Edith Genevieve Farmer. Brother of William Farmer, Margaret Farmer Jackson and Patricia Farmer Atwood. He received his early education in Catholic schools in Omaha.

After serving in the Army Signal Corps during World War II in New Guinea, the Philippines and Japan, he studied electrical engineering at Iowa State University (1941-43, 1946-47) and the University of Arizona (1944). His studies continued at Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island in the liberal arts. He entered the Dominican Order in 1949 and made his profession of vows in 1950. Brother Richard continued his studies in philosophy at the Dominican House of Studies in River Forest, Illinois where he received a B.A. degree in 1952 and the M.A. degree in 1953. After taking his solemn vows he was sent to the Dominican House of Studies in Oakland, California to study theology from 1953 to 1956, because of the lack of space at the old Saint Rose Priory in Dubuque, Iowa. With the completion of the new building for Saint Rose Priory, he continued his studies in Dubuque and received the M.A. degree in theology in 1957.

He was ordained to the priesthood on June 10, 1955 at Oakland, California. In 1957, he was sent to the missions in Nigeria where he served for 33 years as a teacher and pastor. His first assignment was in Gusau, Sokoto State, Nigeria from 1957 to 1960 as a pastor and would continue this ministry in Funtua, Sokoto State from 1960 to 1963, when he would return to Gusau as superior of the mission there until 1967. At that time, the possibility for him to become a lecturer and chaplain at the University of Ife, Osun State, Nigeria was given, and this was understood to be an important advance for the intellectual work of the mission. He remained at the University until 1979, when he moved to Saint Dominic Parish, Yaba, Lagos State, Nigeria where he first served as a parish priest and later (1981-1990) served at the pastor of the parish. Also, he served as Prior of the community from 1983- 1986.

When he returned to the United States, after a brief sabbatical to re-integrate into the United States after 33 years on the Nigerian mission, he became the Director Saint Dominic Mission Society and Syndic of Saint Thomas Aquinas Priory in River Forest, Illinois where he was in residence. In 1994, Richard became the Chaplain at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois and in 2002, move to Saint Dominic Priory in Washington, D.C., where he became the Senior Chaplain at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. Due to a decline in health, he took of residence at Saint Pius V Priory in Chicago a few months before his death. He died on August 18, 2006. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Pius V Church

on August 20, 2006, and he was buried in the Dominican Plot at All Saints Cemetery, Des Plaines, Illinois.