the phone call informing him that he had been selected as Solon’s 2026 Senior of the Year, he said the news came as both a surprise and an honor.

“When I got the call from Sandy Hanson, I knew that I had been selected, and I was honored to be that person this year.”

For McFarland, the recognition reflects decades of service, not only in Solon, but throughout a lifetime in the Midwest.

McFarland earned a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in school psychology from what was then Emporia State College in Kansas. After teaching one year at a Kansas high school, he entered the U.S. Army Reserve following his draft notice before returning to complete his graduate degree.

Over the years, McFarland has devoted countless hours to community organizations. He has been a member of the American Legion for 47 years, the United Methodist Church for nearly five decades, and served nine years on the Solon school board from 1976 to 1985. He has also been active with the Optimist Club for more than 50 years, volunteered with The Arc of Southeast Iowa, served as a Mason for 67 years, and helped with the Solon senior dining program, where he has spent recent years calling bingo and visiting with fellow seniors.

Rather than listing accomplishments, McFarland prefers to focus on the people he has met through those organizations.

“I’ve just had a loving, wonderful family that cared and loved,” he said. “I’ve tried to teach my three daughters, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren to be active and do what you can with your life.”

McFarland credits much of his outlook to the example set by his family and to the friendships he has built through years of community involvement.

One story he especially enjoys sharing is how he reunited with his late wife, Kay.

The two grew up across the street from one another in Hutchinson, Kansas, before her family moved away when they were children. They saw each other only a handful of times over the next 11 years.

Years later, before McFarland left for military training, a chance encounter with a woman from Burlington who knew Kay prompted her to write a letter to his parents. When his parents brought the letter to his basic training graduation, the two reconnected through letters and phone calls. After graduation, McFarland traveled to Burlington, Iowa, to see Kay, and the pair were engaged shortly after. They were married on April 6, 1963.

“If I hadn’t stopped there, I wouldn’t be talking to you,” McFarland said with a smile.

Looking back across nearly nine decades, McFarland believes staying active has been one of the keys to a fulfilling life.

“I’m very concerned about taking care of myself, keeping good health, keeping happy and keeping the brain going,” he said. “Love yourself, love others, and treat people the right way.”

He also hopes younger generations recognize the value of becoming involved in their communities.

“My motto is it’s better to give than to take,” McFarland said. “Try to be involved in the community as much as you can. Even after retirement, you can still do these things. Try to give back to people.”

As this year’s Senior of the Year, McFarland will ride in the Beef Days parade, an experience he said he is eagerly anticipating.

“I’m still honored,” he said. “Looking forward to the parade. It’s going to be fun.”

For McFarland, however, the award is less about individual recognition than the community he has spent decades serving.

“I’ve known many of the other people who’ve been selected,” he said. “I thought, ‘That’s very good company.’ You never know if you’ll be chosen. I’m just honored.”