Obituary of James Elden McFarland

James Elden McFarland III was born April 13, 1954 at Fort Gordon Army Base in Augusta, Georgia. His parents divorced when he was three years old, and he moved with his mom and three siblings to Sweet Home, Oregon. He graduated from Sweet Home High School in 1972 and soon thereafter enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he attended basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. He served as a Communication and Relay Center Equipment Repairman in Australia and throughout East Asia while he was based at Yokota AFB. Jim discharged from the Airforce while in Japan to attend Waseda University. However, while he was waiting to get into Waseda, he needed to enroll in ANY school in order to obtain a student visa. Without knowing anything about it, he enrolled in JMLI because they had a course in Japanese. He later discovered that the school was the Japanese Missionary Language Institute. Jim was not a Christian at the time, and he thought these missionaries were some of the strangest people he had ever known. However, they became dear friends and he gave his life to Christ after they answered every question he could possibly come up with. While attending Waseda University, Jim taught English to Japanese students and worked as a camp counselor at a high school camp over the summer months. Jim returned to the U.S. in 1980 when he moved to Seattle, WA to attend Seattle Pacific University and work at Pacific Medical Center as a Maintenance Mechanic. He graduated with a BA in Linguistics in 1983. While attending SPU, he met his wife, Lisa, at their church college group summer BBQ and they were married on June 30, 1984. In 1985, Jim joined the Army Reserves and in 1986, he and Lisa moved to Denver, Colorado for eight months while he attended Fitzsimons Army Medical Center school for Bio-Medical Technicians. After graduating, they moved back to the Seattle area where he got a job working at Valley Medical Center as a Bio-Med Tech. Jim and Lisa’s first child, Aimee, was born in 1987 and Erik followed in 1989. In 1990, Jim was called to active duty during Operation Desert Storm where he served in Texas for only three months before the war ended. In 1995, Jim and Lisa’s third child, Kaylie/Sebastian, was born, and Jim completed training and an apprenticeship to become a Journeyman Electrician. Jim was once again called to active duty in 2001 during the War in Afghanistan and served at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, WA for five years in a unit that sent the enlisted overseas. He was discharged from the Army in 2006 and started working at Boeing as an Industrial Security Specialist. He retired in October of 2015 when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Over the last three and a half years, Jim endured much with chemotherapy, surgeries, and procedures, but through it all, he maintained a positive attitude and realization that God was in control of every aspect of his life. Over his lifetime, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, hiking, and reading a large variety of non-fiction books. He was a continual learner and enjoyed attending many different classes and trainings. Jim was also an awesome storyteller and loved telling jokes and making people laugh. He enjoyed being involved in Men’s Ministries at Grace Community Church and investing in guys of all ages and stages. But Jim’s biggest love, and what he held most dear, was being a husband, dad, father-in-law, and, with the birth of his first grandchild in 2018, a grandpa. Jim is survived by his wife, Lisa; his children: Aimee (Tyler), Erik, and Sebastian (Shaunna); his granddaughter, Myla; his mom, Joan; his sisters: Diane (Charlie), Joni, and Sheree (Randy); his half-sister, Carole; and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family. He will be remembered and loved as a hardworking, God-loving, strong, and funny husband, father, brother, uncle, and dear friend. He will be greatly missed.