OBITUARY

Jon Weldon McFarland

August 23, 1938–November 6, 2022

Jon Weldon McFarland, longtime Dayton resident, passed away November 6, 2022 at the Dayton General Hospital. He was 84.

Jon was born August 23, 1938 in Wenatchee, Wash., to Charles and Maude O'Brennan McFarland. The family moved to Dayton, Wash. when Jon was a young boy and he grew up here and attended school; graduating from Dayton High School in 1956. Jon was a strong athlete and good basketball player during his high school years.

Shortly after high school, he married Kay Annette Erbes in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and they were married for 47 years before divorcing. He went to Eastern Washington University in Cheney where he completed his Bachelor's Degree in Business and was very active in the ROTC program there.

Jon enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1961 and completed his basic training in Georgia. He was a member of the infantry initially but after having scored so highly on his entrance exam he was promoted into the Military Police program. His long and productive career in the Army included memberships in the Ranger Airborne, Commander of the 42nd Airborne, and stints doing espionage work for the U.S. Government. He served lengthy tours in Vietnam and in South Korea. He retired as Colonel on December 31, 1987.

Jon returned to Dayton and was very active in the community here for the rest of his life. He served eight years as a Columbia County Commissioner. He was also very active in the Kiwanis Club and especially held interest in the Camp Nancy Lee. Jon would often be seen at the fireworks booth, the fair booth, or selling raffle tickets for the Turkey Bingo.

He was instrumental in organizing many parts of the All-Wheels weekend with Kiwanis and any other project that he committed to found his full attention. He worked for the U.S. Census Bureau and more recently he was involved in the sewer system improvements in the City of Starbuck. Jon was a longtime member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Dayton and also often attended St. Mark's in Waitsburg.

Jon met Shannon Dacres Scotson in 2011 while both worked for the WWUB and they have been together since. They enjoyed day trips or drives in their car, bird-watching, going to yard sales, or spending time at the coast. Jon loved trips to Leavenworth because it reminded him so much of fond places he visited in Germany.

JHe was preceded in death by his parents and by brothers Joseph and Robert.

Jon is survived by three children; Colleen McFarland in College Place, Wash., Michael McFarland in Dayton, and Heather (Pedro) Santiago in Flowermound, Tex .; by nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren with one other on the way; he also leaves his brother, Charles "Hap" McFarland.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, November 10 at Noon at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Dayton with burial and military honors to follow at the Dayton Cemetery. The family suggests memorial gifts in his memory be to the Dayton Kiwanis Club. On-line guest book is at http://www.corbeillfuneralhomes.com

Corbeill Funeral Home in Dayton is in charge of the arrangements.