George Mickey McFarland passed away in the early morning hours of New Year's Eve, 2021 after a prolonged battle with Polycystic Kidney Disease and cardiovascular disease. Mickey was the son of George Edward McFarland and Jackie Englett Shaw. He arrived in the world on a hot and sunny day, June 30, 1958 at the little hospital in Austell, Cobb County, Georgia and was a life-long resident of Georgia.
Mickey was an avid outdoorsman who loved biking, hiking and camping with his sons, friends and family. He loved the fishing excursions in Florida that he got to experience and had a natural affinity for the open water. One of his favorite dreams was to live on a houseboat and have his own submarine! Mickey was also an extremely knowledgable American Civil War historian, loved doing the research and could often be found with a book in his hands and more open beside him.
Mickey was a Veteran who proudly served our nation in the United States Marine Corps from 1981 to 1985. As part of the Multi-National Peacekeeping Force in Beirut, Lebanon during the Lebanese civil war, he narrowly missed the bombing of the military barracks that housed American and French troops on October 23, 1983. His unit had been diverted from the combat in Beirut to the island nation of Grenada and they saw combat while assisting with the armed conflict there. He and his unit then returned to Beirut to complete their mission. Mickey often talked about the impact of meeting and shaking hands with former Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld when he toured Beirut and the barracks bombing site.
Mickey leaves behind his grieving family: father, George Edward McFarland and step-mother Janette McFarland; mother Jackie Englett Shaw; sister Elizabeth McFarland Dempsey; and brother Wayne Pittman. Mickey also leaves behind his loving wife Lilac (Lori Anne) McFarland and their sons: Joseph Jacob Holewinski and wife Mary; Connor James McFarland and wife Alexandria; and Trevor John McFarland. Mickey loved his grandchildren: Madalyn Rose and Declan Elgar Holewinski and was eagerly anticipating the arrival of his newest grandson, Sora Jak McFarland, with Connor and Alexandria. Mickey had a deep and abiding love for his cousins: Sol Sims, Jamey Englett, Joe Hagin, Tracy Englett Wheeler and Ginger Englett, and his several nieces and nephews. He also fondly remembered his best buddy in the USMC, Eddie Spratlin, and spoke of him often.
Mickey was preceded in death by his beloved niece, Jeannie Stork Seaman, his step-father USN Veteran Clarence Shaw and his cousin, Davida Anderson, along with aunts, uncles and other generations of family.
A private interment will take place on January 20, 2022 at 1:30pm at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia. We will always honor Mickey's service to our nation and appreciate him for it.
In lieu of flowers, the family humbly requests a donation in his name to one of the following organizations:
* The Gary Sinise Foundation @ garysinisefoundation.org
* The PKD Foundation @ pkdcure.org
* The National Kidney Foundation @ kidney.org
* The United Network for Organ Sharing @ unos.org
* The Donate Life Georgia Organization @ donatelifegeorgia.org
Semper Fi, Marine. Rest easy, your mission is complete.
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