Bill

BAR HARBOR — William K. McFarland, 63, died March 9, 2013, at Eastern Maine Medical Center after a year and a half battle with cancer. He was born March 22, 1949, in Bar Harbor, the son of Chauncey A. Jr. and Nancy M. McFarland.

Bill graduated from Bar Harbor High School in 1967. Following graduation, he attended The New England School of Applied Arts and Science and Bryant Stratton Business Institute, both in Boston. He married Karen Goulette, Dec. 10, 1977, and they recently celebrated 35 years of marriage. Over the course of his life he worked in many professions, including life insurance sales at Northwestern Mutual and owning and operating the former McFarland Funeral Home. He went on to become the marketing director at the Bar Harbor Banking and Trust Co. While there, he renovated and established the Quimby House Inn, which he owned for seven years. For the past 15 years Bill focused on his real passion of property development, while also working as a commercial real estate broker at the Swan Agency Sotheby’s International Realty. He was a member of the Acadia Council of the Maine Association of Realtors. Bill was very active in his community. He was on the board of directors at the First National Bank of Bar Harbor, Kebo Valley Golf Club and the YMCA, at which he was also a trustee. He was a former Little League Commissioner, volunteer firefighter and was on the Ledgelawn Cemetery Committee. Bill was a member of the Bar Harbor Masonic Lodge No. 185 and Anah Temple Shrine. He was once a member of Mount Desert Island Rotary and Mount Desert Island Lions Club, where he proudly served as King Lion like his father before him. Bill loved his family and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. He also had many good friends. He spent many hours grilling dinner for his guests, especially when he hosted the traditional McFarland family cookout on the 4th of July. Bill enjoyed working, golfing, traveling and whenever the opportunity arose, taking a boat ride. He promoted his hometown of Bar Harbor any chance he could and enjoyed dining at a number of local restaurants.
Bill is survived by his wife, Karen; his daughters, Lauren McFarland of Portland, Mary Ann Reed and her husband, Chris, of Bernardsville, N.J.; son, Matt McFarland and his wife, Sasha, of Bar Harbor; four grandchildren, Conner, Elyse, Hayley and Tyler Reed of Bernardsville, N.J.; two sisters, Linda Olsen of Seneca, Ill., Julia Crafts of York; three brothers, James McFarland and his wife, Joyce, Boyd McFarland and his wife, Linda, all of Bar Harbor, Chauncey McFarland III and his wife, Diane of Portsmouth, N.H.; his aunt, Linda Palfrey of Bar Harbor; many nieces, nephews and cousins. His family thinks the following quote describes Bill’s personality, “A stranger is a friend I haven’t met yet.” – Will Rogers.