Obituary of William C. MacFarland

Olean – William Comstock "Mac" MacFarland "Local Retired Pediatrician" William Comstock "Mac" MacFarland, of 2087 Dugan Road, passed away on Sunday, December 20, 2020 at the Olean General Hospital, following an illness. William was born on April 16, 1935 in Hornell and was a son of James and Annette Comstock MacFarland. On September 2, 1959, he married his wife of 61 years, Sandra Jean Rose, who survives. Mac and Sandra attended each others birthday parties from the age of 3. William was known as "Mac" from childhood. He lived on an army base with his brother Jim and sister Sue, while his father served as a radiologist in the Army during World War II at Bordan General Hospital in Chickasaw, OK. The family lived in Hornell after the war, where Mac graduated from Hornell High School. He always knew he wanted to be a medical doctor. Mac earned a Bachelor of Arts from Hamilton College and his doctorate from Case Western Reserve. He served in the Army at Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, Colorado during the Vietnam War. Following his service, Mac and his wife, Sandra, moved to Olean in 1965, where Mac accepted the offer to become a pediatrician at the Olean Medical Group, until his retirement. Mac loved outdoor activities with his family including skiing, playing golf, playing tennis, hunting, fishing, sailing, and canoeing. Many memories were made during family ski trips to Ski Wing, where he was on the Ski Patrol, and later at Holimont in Ellicottville. Mac earned Eagle Scout as a child, and he was an enthusiastic supporter of the scouts in adulthood, where he led a scout canoe trip in Ontario's Algonquin Park. He enjoyed the friendly competition of golf with his friends at the Bartlett Country Club. Mac was a big advocate of the YMCA, where in recent years he would swim laps daily. Mac was always learning something new, like the chemical process behind photography, drywall installation, learning woodworking, or how to make his own ammo. He was a good cook and often tried new recipes. Along with his loving wife, Mac is survived by; 2 children, Karen MacFarland of Columbia, MD and Bill (Lisa Lunghofer) MacFarland of Gaithersburg, MD; 3 grandchildren, Nicholai Wingreen, Mack Wingreen, and Fin Stein; and a sister, Sue MacFarland Groves of Hendersonville, TN. Mac was predeceased by a daughter Jean Rose MacFarland in 1983. There will be no Public Visitation or Services at this time. Arrangements are under the direction of the Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home, Inc., 646 East State Street, Olean. Online condolences may be made at www.LetroMcIntoshSpinkFuneralHome.com. In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to the Olean YMCA, 1101 Wayne Street, Olean, New York 14760.