Mary F. McFarland

Mary was born on March 28, 1944, in Cherokee, North Carolina, to Zadie and Oscar Sneed. Her family later relocated to Blairsville, Georgia, before eventually making their way to Houston, Texas. It was there that Mary met the love of her life, Ronnie McFarland. They were married on June 24, 1961, beginning a love story and a life together that would span 35 years until Ronnie's passing in 1996.

Together, Mary and Ronnie built a beautiful life and family. They were blessed with three children: Ronald, David, and Debbie. They experienced the heartbreaking loss of David during his infancy, a son whose life, though brief, forever remained part of their family's story. In 1972, they moved their family to New Caney, Texas, where Mary put down roots and called home for many years.

Mary was a hardworking and dedicated woman who served as an Office Manager for various Municipal Utility Districts throughout her career. Her longest tenure was with Roman Forest Consolidated Municipal Utility District, where she devoted an incredible 30 years of service.

But anyone who truly knew Mary knows that a list of dates and accomplishments could never quite capture her.

Mary was sassy, outspoken, and never afraid to tell you exactly what she thought—whether you asked her or not. But beneath that sass was an incredibly generous heart. She was the kind of woman who would give you the shirt off her back if you needed it.

That generous heart extended to four-legged visitors as well. A stray cat wandering onto Mary's property had a funny way of no longer being a stray. Once they found her, they had found their forever home.

Mary loved painting, working in her garden and flower beds, and trying her luck at the ever-elusive winning slot machine. She found happiness in simple things, loved in her own unmistakable way, and left those who knew her with plenty of stories to tell.

Mary was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ronnie McFarland, who passed away on November 21, 1996; her sons, David McFarland, who passed away July 10, 1965, and Ronald McFarland, who passed away on November 27, 2024; and her parents, Zadie and Oscar Sneed.

She leaves behind a family who will carry her love, stories, and unmistakable spirit forward, including her daughter, Debbie McFarland; daughter-in-law, Lisa McFarland; granddaughter, Kay-cie McFarland; bonus granddaughters, Marie Newsom and Desiree Harrod; great-granddaughter, Paisleigh Bloom; and bonus great-granddaughters, Brylee Newsom, Tobie Newsom, Kashlynn Davis, Tenly Newsom, and Gracelynn Harrod, along with extended family, friends, and undoubtedly more than a few cats whose lives were better because they happened to wander into hers.

Mary's life cannot simply be measured by the years between 1944 and 2026. It can be found in the family she loved, the home she created, the flowers she grew, the pictures she painted, the animals she rescued, the work she dedicated herself to, and the countless memories and stories she leaves behind.

She was one of a kind—a little sassy, incredibly giving, and entirely Mary.

And that is exactly how she will be remembered.