Edward E. McFarland, 84
WILLIAMSTOWN, Masss. â€' Edward E. McFarland, 84, of The Village at Fillmore Pond in Bennington, Vt., formerly of Williamstown, died Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009, at Centers for Living and Rehab in Bennington.
Born in Pittsfield on May 4, 1924, son of George A. and Margaret Murphy McFarland, he graduated from the former Williams High School in Stockbridge in 1941 and from the former Berkshire Business College in 1942.
An Army veteran of World War II, he served in Europe with the 4th Armored Division and received five battle stars for campaigns in Normandy, Northern France, the Rhineland, the Ardennes and Central Europe. He was awarded the Distinguished Unit Badge and a Certificate of Merit.
Mr. McFarland was employed as controller, assistant administrator and administrator at North Adams Regional Hospital, retiring in 1982 after 18 years of service. He first worked for the Berkshire Street Railway in Pittsfield beginning in 1945 and then in North Adams as cashier and superintendent. He was then employed at the former North Adams State College as principal accountant and later as business manager of the Williamstown School District.
He was active in many civic organizations and had served as veterans agent for the town of Williamstown for 21 years until his retirement in 1987. He was president of the North Adams Rotary Club in 1970 and received the Paul Harris Fellowship in 1986. He was appointed as corporators of North Adams Hoosac Savings Bank in 1970, trustee in 1976, to the board of investment in 1982 and honorary trustee in 1988. He served on the board of directors and as vice president of the former North Adams Chamber of Commerce; as treasurer of the United Fund of North Adams; as trustee of the North Adams State College Foundation; on the Berkshire County Welfare Advisory Board; as president of the Northern Berkshire Home Health Aide Association and on the Northern Berkshire Fall Foliage Parade Committee for several years.
He was also on the board of directors of the Northern Berkshire Boy Scout Council and treasurer of the Williamstown Little League. He also coached Little League and youth basketball. After moving to the state of Florida in 1987, he was a volunteer with the Meals on Wheels Program and was a volunteer in the Englewood office of the Sarasota sheriff's department.
He and his wife, the former Florence Evelyn Whitman, were married on April 9, 1947, in Pittsfield.
Besides his wife, he leaves two sons, Paul McFarland of Williamstown and Daniel McFarland of Yorktown, Va.; a daughter, Marcia McFarland Gray of Clarksburg, and four grandchildren
A brother, George A. McFarland, is deceased.
FUNERAL NOTICE â€' Services for Mr. McFarland will be private. Burial will be in Eastlawn cemetery in Williamstown. There will be no calling hours. Memorial contributions may be made to North Adams Regional Hospital in care of Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, Central Chapels, 74 Marshall St., North Adams, MA 01247.