Ida Marie McFarland

Marie McFarland, 102, Twin Falls, passed away November 18, 2014. She was born April 3, 1912 to Joe and Stella Andrews of Seward, Kansas. Marie was the second of eight children with two brothers and five sisters. Marie spent her growing up years caring for her little sisters. She said she learned to play and run with a baby on her hip. She was proud of the fact that she ran faster than her older brother, Don. When Marie was four years old, her family moved to Idaho by train. She used to tell about the ride out from Kansas. Her Mom had packed fried chicken and other food in a wicker basket. The Andrews family moved to a farm south of the sugar factory at the edge of Rock Creek Canyon. Marie loved to tell about her dad driving a covered school wagon to Bickel School with a team of draft horses. Joe Andrews had to shovel to get the school wagon through the drifts because as she said, "There was more snow then". Marie married Loren McFarland, June 6, 1930 at the beginning of the Great Depression. Marie and Loren had a service station and hot dog stand in Hansen. She remembers the Dust Bowl families traveling through Highway 30, the main route through Southern Idaho. The travelers would sometimes only be able to buy a dime's worth of gas to take them a few more miles down the road. Marie, Loren and their three sons; Larry, Don, and Joe lived south of Hansen. The family farmed on the Hansen Butte. The Oregon Trail had run through the farm. Besides all of the work Marie did on the farm, she cooked three meals a day, canned, sewed, quilted, crocheted, and gardened. She made afghans and elaborately embroidered quilts for her children and grandchildren. She even crocheted afghans for her great grandchildren. Marie visited Hawaii with Loren. After Loren's death in 1987, she took quite a few trips with her son and daughter - in - law, Don and Carol. They went to Cancun, Mexico; Buchart Gardens in Vancouver, British Columbia; North Dakota, Wisconsin, Grand Targhee, and the Sawtooths. Marie took many trips to Picabo with Don and Carol, where they owned a farm on Silver Creek. She and her sister, Bernice, went on a cruise to Alaska. Marie enjoyed working as an election judge for many years in Hansen. After moving to Twin Falls, she volunteered at CSI, and at the Twin Falls Visitor's Center on the canyon rim. Marie is survived by two sisters; Doris Olsen of Cheyenne, Wyoming and Dorothe Prior of Sonoma, California; her sons Larry (Lois) of Los Alamos, New Mexico, Don (Carol) of Eden, Idaho, and Joe (Anne) of Stephenville, Texas. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren, and nine great-great- grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two brothers, three sisters; her husband, Loren, a grandchild, and a great grandchild. For the last nine years, Marie resided at Wynwood in Twin Falls, where she enjoyed the staff. She watched the birds at the feeders outside the window, read mysteries, and watched television. Marie was an inspiration and role model to her family and the wonderful staff at Wynwood, who took loving care of her. Cremation rites were accorded under the direction of Parke's Magic Valley Funeral Home. The family will hold a private celebration of Marie's remarkable long life when they get together over the Christmas holidays. Online condolences can be submitted to www.magicvalleyfuneralhome.com.