Eldo McFarland, longtime farmer, husband, and father, died Sept. 10, 2002, in Sterling, Kan., at the age of 89.

He was born Nov. 17, 1911, in Billings, Okla. He was the son of James C. and Nancy B. Young McFarland. He moved to Florida with his family in 1920, where they became charter members of the Orlando, Fla., Reformed Presbyterian Church. They moved to Sterling in 1925. He graduated from Sterling High School in 1931, after which he attended Sterling College for one year.

He married Heloise LaRue Schafer on Oct. 5, 1937, at her home in Sterling. He was a member of the Sterling Reformed Presbyterian Church and served as precentor, deacon, elder, Sabbath school teacher, and co-sponsor of the Christian Young Peoples’ Union. Eldo had the great gift of bringing people together to accomplish a common goal. He was the chair of the building committee for Sterling’s current worship center. His kindness and sensitivity to others is greatly missed.

Surviving him is a daughter, Melody DeBuhr of Topeka; grandson, Eric De Buhr of Omaha; granddaughters, Kara Fabin of Lawrence, Wendy Katsbulas of Topeka, Nicki McFarland of Hutchinson; and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Heloise, on June 29, 2001; their only son, Marling, in 1993; five brothers, Harvey, Will, A. J., Luther, Wendell; and three sisters, Vera, Carrie, and Viola.