Robert James McFarland

With much shock and sadness we announce the passing of Rob. Husband, brother (in-law), uncle and buddy to many. Not a husband to many, there was just Andrea! Robert was born into an Air Force family in Cold Lake, Alberta, moving around both inside and outside the country. It inspired him to get his pilot’s license when he was a young man. He was a life-long traveller and he and Andrea went on many adventures together, with Cuba being most dear to his heart. Robert had a career driving trucks; courier, freight and home heating oil. He knew every corner of Halifax. He spent a large part of his career driving for Sameday, where Andrea worked dispatch. There he made many fast friends. Many times he acted as our personal mover and delivery man. And then there is the Wednesday night boys! What started as a cheap steak and beer at a local pub became a weekly games night at Robert’s. Thousands of games of pool, washer toss, shuffleboard (homemade by the gang), ping-pong were played and thousands upon thousands of records spun. Belly laughs too numerous to mention. This was a very special gang of ex-Greenwood ‘boys’. Some came and went over the years, but at its’ core were Robert, Steve, Donald, Danny, Michael, Greg and Judy. Lake Pleasant, aka ‘the Lake’, was a place where the McFarland clan and entourages, gathered most summer weekends. There was always something on the go. Structures to repair, build, tear down, rebuild. Rob was a hard guy to get to sit down and do nothing….unless it was sitting in his kayak. He and Andrea spent many, many hours exploring the Lake and many other lakes around the province. The after supper campfire was legendary. Robert liked to stoke it higher and later than necessary and then sneak off to bed, despite the rule that whomever added the last piece of wood stayed up with the fire. He also liked to serenade us with many tunes, with a favourite being Gordon Lightfoot…any song. Name it and he knew the words. Robert was a devoted Montreal Canadiens and Saskatchewan Roughriders fan. He played hockey all his life until he couldn’t. He played softball for many years with Sameday. Robert is survived by his wife of 35 years and partner in bad puns, Andrea MacDonald. His sisters Laurie St. Amour and Karen (Donald) Dodge, brother Michael and his other brother Steve Gaudet. He was a loving, fun and active uncle to Erin (Alan Slipp) Gaudet, Coco Gaudet, Angeline (Amy Pyne) St. Amour, Jane (Eric) Hamilton and Sam (Arissa) Dodge. He was a great (so he told us) uncle to Thea Hamilton. Also, the Strackerjan clan, you know who you are. He is also survived by his MacDonald clan. Andrea’s brothers Craig (Patti) and Jimmy (Sherry), sisters Kim, Eleanor (Wilfred), Lois, Diane and Marilyn. Numerous and well-loved nieces, nephews…great and otherwise, plus a host of Chezzetcook family. Robert was predeceased by his mother Janice (Hadden) McFarland, who he loved to hug a bit too hard for her liking and very recently by his father Earl to whom he bore an uncanny resemblance. A celebration of life will be held for Robert at the Buffalo Club, 625 Cow Bay Road, on Saturday, November 23rd at 1 pm. in lieu of flowers "Cuba was very dear to Roberts heat and they need our help. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Canada Helps" https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/vision-infantile-de-cubavision-infantil-de-cuba/ Rob also donated to Doctors Without Borders. Thanks,

Robert James McFarland

May 18, 1957 - November 15, 2024