John McFarland

John McFarland passed away peacefully on May 17, 2026, at the age of 84, after several months at the Irene Thomas Hospice in Ladner, BC.

Born and raised in Northern Ireland, John emigrated to Canada in 1969 with his wife Kathleen and their six-month-old daughter. He built a career as a civil engineer, work that took him and his family to Central America at one point to oversee the construction of a water and sewage treatment plant. He later settled in Surrey, British Columbia, where he lived for many years.

John was a quiet, practical man with a dry sense of humour that came out when you least expected it. He was an avid runner and skier, and in his later years he and Kathleen travelled regularly, taking one or two trips a year to destinations in Europe and Central and South America. He also enjoyed birdwatching, soapstone carving, and golf.

He is survived by his daughters Lynn and Janet; his twin brother Herbert McFarland of Northern Ireland; and his younger sister Jill Walmsley of North Yorkshire, England. He was predeceased by his wife Kathleen.

John's ashes will be scattered at Watershed Park in North Delta and in Puerto Morelos, Mexico, where he and Kathleen spent time each winter. There will be no formal service.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

Lynn and Janet McFarland