MOUNT GILEAD — SaraJane McFarland, 60, of Mount Gilead died Sunday afternoon, Oct. 26, 2008, at her residence after a short battle with breast cancer.

She was born Feb. 19, 1948, in Smithville Flats, N.Y., the daughter of Gertrude (Sprague) Burns of Greene and the late William Burns. Sara grew up in Greene, N.Y., and graduated from their high school in the class of 1966. It was in Greene where she met James McFarland. He was a roughneck in the oils fields and she was employed as a punch press operator. You may have heard her say “there was nothing better to do on a Saturday night, so we got married.” Their life as husband and wife began on Jan. 26, 1968, in Smithville Flats.

She was a member of the Trinity United Methodist Church.

Her giving nature led her to Woodside Village, where she was initially employed as a nurse’s aide and most recently as their activity director. She thoroughly enjoyed driving the residents of Woodside on their various road trips. Most were uneventful except for an unfortunate incident with a McDonald’s sign.

Sara’s children could always count on their mother to keep them informed about where folks lived and who was up to what. She knew everybody and everybody knew her.

Due to her positive, upbeat attitude people would gravitate towards Sara. While the term “never met a stranger” is often overused, in Sara’s case it spoke volumes. She was certainly one of a kind!

While Woodside was an important part of her life nothing was more precious than her family, especially her three grandsons. The boys had two sets of parents. Whether she was taking them to sporting events, fixing them dinner, or watching them on a Friday evening, Sara would do anything for her kids. Although her presence will be missed, they will be forever changed by her love.

In addition to her mother she will be greatly missed by her husband Jimmy; son, Steve and his wife, Samantha McFarland and daughter, Tina McFarland, all of Mount Gilead; her three grandsons, Justin and Chris Kempton and Andrew McFarland; her siblings, Ed (Rose) Burns of Smithville Flats, N.Y., Ruth Kinney and Bob (Margaret) Burns, both of Greene, N.Y., Dick Burns of Grand Junction, Colo., and Charlie (Vonnie) Burns of Lakeland, Wash.

The McFarland family will greet friends on Thursday, Oct. 30, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Snyder Funeral Home, 76 S. Main St., Mount Gilead. Funeral services will be held on Friday at 2 p.m. at the Trinity United Methodist Church, 75 E. High St., Mount Gilead, with Pastor Ron Heasley officiating. Burial will follow in Rivercliff Cemetery.

Memorial contributions, if desired, may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, Hospice of Morrow County, 228 South St., Mount Gilead, and Woodside Village’s yearly “Relay For Life” drive, 841 W. Marion Road, Mount Gilead. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.