Gary Joseph McFarland, 76, a long-time resident of St. Louis and Edwardsville, died from cancer Tuesday, February 26, 2019 with his family by his side at Missouri Baptist Hospital. Gary was born on September 13, 1942 in Oberlin, Kansas, the son of Joseph and Mildred (VonForell) McFarland. He married Martha Daniel on August 26, 1967 in Arvada, Colorado.
Gary graduated from Fort Hays State University and began his career in Data Processing with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As his career progressed, the McFarlands relocated multiple times before moving to St. Louis for a position at company headquarters. Over his 33-years, Gary led multiple system-implementation and support teams in Information Services.
Gary was a lifelong Christian and a member of Christ Church in Fairview Heights. He grew up in Almena, Kansas, where he played high school football and basketball and worked on an uncle’s farm. Growing up in small-town western Kansas forged a set of values that characterized Gary’s entire life, including devotion to family and the church, a belief in the value of hard work, loyalty to friends, and unwavering integrity.
Gary took great pride in his family and especially treasured time with his grandchildren. He and Martha enjoyed boating with friends on Lake of the Ozarks, and U.S. and international travel. He played softball, was a wine enthusiast who often visited the Napa and Sonoma valleys, was an enthusiastic golfer, and enjoyed bridge and dancing.
Gary was a great fan of John Deere farm equipment, and after retirement he enjoyed years of planting and harvesting on a friend’s farm near Edwardsville. He was preceded in death by his parents and his youngest son Marcus, who died at age 16 in 1998. In addition to Martha, his beloved wife of 51 years, Gary is survived by sons Jonathan and wife Kristen of Dallas, TX, Todd and wife Kristin of Edwardsville, IL and Justin and wife Charisa of Wildwood, MO; grandchildren Christopher, Colin, Carter, Drew, Vance, and Vaughn; and sister Gloria Battin, brothers Galen and Greg McFarland, and step-sister Pam Nickolaus.
Visitation will be at Weber & Rodney Funeral Home, 304 North Main Street, Edwardsville from 4:00 – 8:00 PM on Friday, March 1. A service and celebration of Gary’s life will be held at Christ Church, 339 Frank Scott Parkway East, Fairview Heights at 10:30 AM on Saturday, March 2. Burial will be in Sunset Hill Cemetery in Glen Carbon.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the American Cancer Society or Christ Church in Fairview Height, IL at the visitation and service or mailed to Weber & Rodney Funeral Home. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Gary J. McFarland please visit our Sympathy Store.
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