MARTHA JEAN SMITH MCFARLAND

MARTHA JEAN SMITH MCFARLAND, a resident of Memphis with immediate family members in Fayette County died Tuesday morning, December 29, 2009 at the Methodist North Hospital in Memphis where she had been a patient for four days. She was 74 years of age and died following an extended illness.

Funeral services for Mrs. McFarland were conducted at 4 P.M. Thursday, December 31st, at the Peebles West Funeral Chapel at Oakland with Rev. Eddie Faulkner, Pastor of the Bolton Full Gospel Church in the Bolton Community, officiating. He was assisted by Rev. Bob Sorrell of the Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova. Interment followed in the Fayette County Memorial Park Cemetery on Highway 64. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes-West Chapel of Oakland.

Mrs. McFarland was born in Bowling Green, Florida on September 10, 1935 and was preceded in death by her parents, George Dewey Smith and Gladys LaFon Smith.

She received her education in Bowling Green and at Howard College in Birmingham, Alabama.

A former resident of Bowling Green, Florida, Mrs. McFarland had been a resident of the Memphis area for the past forty-five years and was a member of the Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova.

In earlier years, Mrs. McFarland was employed as a Pharmaceutical Assistant by the Peoples Pharmacy on Park Avenue in Memphis. In recent years she was employed at the Play, Learn and Grow Daycare Center before her retirement five years ago.

She had a great love for children and found much pleasure in caring for them at the daycare center. Preparing food for her family and vacations at the beach were favorite activities that she enjoyed throughout her life.

Survivors of Mrs. McFarland include two daughters, Dana McFarland Riggins (Bubba) of Memphis and Jaqi McFarland Perkins (David) of Atlanta, GA; two sons, Jeff McFarland of Memphis and Ron McFarland (Donna) of Oakland; twelve grandchildren: Jessica Gillentine Setzer, Kiana Gillentine Koss, Ryan Perkins, Lindsay Perkins, Carly Perkins, Scott McFarland, Kelly McFarland Rainey, Andy McFarland, Becca McFarland Strong, Josh McFarland, Jeremy McFarland and Justin McFarland and 13 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a son; Gary McFarland.

Those honored to serve as casket bearers were Kevin Koss, Andy McFarland, Scott McFarland, Ryan Perkins, J. J. Setzer and John Setzer.

The family requests that Memorials be directed to the "Mayor" Jeff McFarland Foundation.