Barbara Ann McFarland, age 81, passed peacefully on Wednesday, July 17, 2019, at Providence Hospital in Medford. She spent the last three months surrounded by family and friends and the loving team of caregivers there.
She was born feet first on December 13, 1937, in Indianapolis, Indiana to Charles and Sigrid Fort and came to Medford via California and Canyonville, Oregon at age nine. Her family moved to Dark Hollow when it was a gravel road with just a couple homes on it. She enjoyed being an only child until the first of her three brothers arrived as she was finishing high school at Saint Mary's.
While at the skating rink in Grants Pass, Barbara met Coy and they were married three months later at Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in Jacksonville and built their home on the hillside by her parents. In their nearly 55 year marriage they always enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping together. When their children were young, Barbara loved to grow a vegetable garden and can and freeze the bounty for the winter. She sewed much of their clothing, most of it plaid, polka dot, paisley and floral! She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic church for 72 years and was the organist for over twenty years.
Later in life her greatest joy came from spending time with family, watching birds and animals out her window, and helping charitable causes for wildlife, the earth, unborn babies, persecuted groups, retired clergy, and religious foundations of all denominations around the world. She felt that so much was given to her and she wanted to pay it forward.
Finally ready to move off the hill where she has lived over 70 years, she was so excited to move to Pear Valley in Central Point. Although she never made it there, she was so excited about this next chapter in her life.
She loved to meet in Jacksonville for coffee at the Good Bean and in Medford for soup at Great Harvest. Barbara always had a smile on her face and greeted friends and strangers alike with genuine interest and concern.
She was precedence in death by her husband Coy and her infant daughter Diane.
Barbara is survived by children, Chet (Shelly), Karen (Jeff), Donna (Joe), and Teresa (Doug); brothers Joe (Donna), Jim (Billie), and Erik (Joanne); grandchildren Elise, Brandon, Megan, Angela, Anthony, Shane, Miranda, Kiana, Breanna, Britain, McKenna, Ayva, Owen, and Sawyer; and 13 great grandchildren.
On Friday, July 26, at Sacred Heart Church the rosary will be recited at 10:30 AM, funeral mass at 11:00 AM, luncheon at Sacred Heart parish hall following the Mass, and committal service at Memory Gardens on Arnold Lane at 2:30 PM.