In Memory

Craig T McFarlin

Obituary for Craig T. McFarlin

Craig T. McFarlin, 69, of Rock Island, Illinois, died Sunday, February 19, 2017, at Heartland Health Care Center, Moline.

Cremation will take place at Trimble Crematory, Moline, under the direction of the Cremation Society of the Quad Cities.

He was born December 17, 1947, in Moline, the son of Wendell and Mary (Talbot) McFarlin. He graduated from Moline High School and attended Iowa State University. He worked for John Deere Harvester and retired from Regalia Manufacturing.  

Craig is survived by sisters, Marcia (Marv) Wiederin of Coal Valley, and Maribeth (Marlon) Stewart of Moline; two nieces, two nephews, and their families; \ a daughter, Piper and her son, Nick; and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and a longtime companion, Kathleen Johnson.

The family would like to give special thanks to the staffs at UnityPoint Hospice and Heartland for the wonderful care they gave to Craig.



 
go to bottom 
  Post Comment

02/22/17 01:22 PM #1    

Marji Wenos (Watkins)

Craig was a member of my Sunday School, Communicants Class, and my Youth Group at First United Presbyterian Church during our entire childhoods, nursery thru high school. He was a brilliant and gifted young man and one we'll remember being in many MHS plays and musicals.


02/23/17 04:28 PM #2    

Suzee Carson (Branch)

Thinking of Craig, 56 years worth of memories come rushing at me. That's a lot of memories! I knew him first as just Craig McFarlin who appeared at MHS one day with a new kind of haircut. He sported the very first Beatle's haircut at our school. We knew how brilliant he was, so did the staff of teachers. Later, I came to call him by an assortment of other names. Chocolate Craig, member of the Chocolate Cow Club to which Nan Goran, Lon RIchie, Rusty Hanneman, John Hilbert, Mike Johnson, Marvin Gates and I belonged. I think there were others. Then he became Craiglet, stemming from our avid interest in Tolkien's "Hobbit" and "Lord of The Rings". Next acquired handle was Brando McDuck. Lots of ducks in that club. The best of Craig? His gentle, tender heart and soul. He was incredibly compassionate and knew how to truly love and care for people and animals. Selfishly, I am going to find it difficult to be here on this earth knowing that his genuine love for me left along with him. I am not the only one bound to feel this loss. We just don't get to have all that many people in our lives who love us with 100% of their hearts. Craig was special. Goodnight Craiglet. See you in the morning!


02/24/17 09:46 AM #3    

Dick Miller

Craig was a good friend from way back. We lived just down the street from each other and spent many hours in our basement playing pool and listening to music. He and Rusty Hanneman and I took a trip to California after graduation, highlighted by a hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon - a genuine bonding experience. As others have said, he was brilliant and compassionate. I feel the loss very deeply.


02/24/17 01:10 PM #4    

Nicholas Eastland

Like Dick Miller, Craig and I went way back. There were a couple of years either late in grade school at Garfield or at John Deere when Craig and I hung out a lot and became close. At that time, for some reason my younger sister Martha came up with a nickname for Craig much like Suzee had for him...Cardy McFardy.  Who knows where that came from but that was her name for him. Craig was not particularly fond of that name. Much later when Martha had grown up, she related a story to me. She had run into him someplace and recognized him. She said to him aren't you Craig McFarlin? He acknowledged that he was but he had no idea who she was. In response she said See if you can guess. You're Cardy McFardy. He responded " Not a ----ing Eastland!" A perfect Craig-type response. My memories of him are much like those from Dick and Suzee. He was so smart, witty and an accomplished Thespian. A mellow guy. I meant to respond to his joining the website and didn't back in December. I wish I had. I had no idea he wasn't well. God bless him. We are in the 4th quarter of life and we don't know how many minutes there are on the clock. We should act on our impulses and connect with friends when we have the opportunity. This makes me wish I were in Sarasota with classmates. Maybe this summer. RIP Craig.

 

 


02/24/17 01:40 PM #5    

James Bjerkan

I always seem to be surprised/shocked when someone I've known since kindergarten passes away.  While Craig and I were never really close friends, I'll always remember him as the first person who made me aware of Bob Dylan and his haunting lyrics, suggestng he should be the country's poet laureate...when we were in fifth grade!  As Winston Churchill once noted, we just have to "keep buggering on".  


02/25/17 09:04 AM #6    

George Kapetanakis

Kathy here since George isn't on FB. I just let him know about Craig's passing. First thing he said was that he was the first kid at MHS to have a Beatles haircut! I think I remember that too. I agree with Jim, just seems weird when we hear of "one of our own" passing. RIP Craig.


go to top 
  Post Comment