Obituary of Robert Eugene McFarland

Robert Eugene McFarland of Snowflake, Arizona died suddenly on March 9, 2018.  He was born August 9, 1959 at Augustana Hospital in Chicago.  He was a graduate of Zion-Benton High School. 

He is survived by his sons, Craig Robert (Chrissy), Cliff Thomas, and his first grandchild, Addison Jane, Cliff and Rachel’s 1 year old daughter.  His second wife Cindy McFarland, nee Roberts, was with him at the time of his death. He is also survived by his grieving parents, Richard and Frances McFarland of Lindenhurst, IL.  His 3 brothers; Michael James (Alora) of Beach Park, IL, Richard Patrick (Nancy) of Winthrop Harbor, IL, and Joseph David of Makanda, IL; and his sister, Cynthia Ann (Jim) Riba of Ingleside, IL.  He was greatly loved by his nieces and nephews, Christopher, Ashley, Stephanie, Nicholas, and Benjamin.  Michael’s little Sarah, 4, is Bob’s youngest niece.  His first wife, Betty Coen, of Winthrop Harbor, is the mother of Craig and Cliff.  He had many friends.  Bob was often affectionately called “Bobby” by those who knew his best.  He will be missed so much.

He was a talented union carpenter.  His brother Richard worked with him for many years.  He built his own house (Craig and Cliff’s 1st home) and in 1993 he built a beautiful duplex for his parents.  One of Bob’s most outstanding qualities was his willingness to help people.  He was strong and friendly and would be there if you needed anything fixed, moved, built, plowed or anything else that he could do.  He was very proud of the highways he worked on in the Chicago network of expressways and of his work building the American Eagle at Great America in Gurnee.  His achievements as a builder can be found throughout northern Lake County.  He was very devoted to his boys.  Since one of his great loves was Cubs baseball and Bears football, coaching his sons in Little League was a great pleasure for him, and Craig and Cliff made it look so easy to pitch and hit.  Bob was very proud of them.  He had been a Little League player at West Park in Des Plaines.  He hit those home runs wearing his purple Rotary baseball cap.

A Memorial Mass will be said for him at Our Lady of Humility Church, 10655 W Wadsworth Rd, Beach Park, IL., Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.