Ramona Jean McFarland

Ramona Jean McFarland

Kirkwood, Mo.

Ramona "Mona" Jean Staack McFarland was born on Jan. 31, 1934, on a farm in the small community of Buck Creek near Sumner, Iowa. She passed away on June 30, 2023. She was the second daughter of Leo W. Staack and Berdena Weiskirch Staack. Ramona was baptized, confirmed, and married in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. She spent her early years in Sumner, but spent winters in St. Petersburg, Fla., until the untimely death of her father. He was only 38 years old, and she was 13 years old. Her mother later remarried Carl Westendorf. Ramona graduated from Sumner High School in 1951 and, also graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, with a teacher’s certificate. She taught elementary grades in New Hampton, Iowa, First Lutheran in Northridge, Calif., and Castor Gardens Lutheran in Philadelphia, Pa.

Ramona was united in marriage to Richard (Dick) Lyle McFarland on Aug. 27, 1955. They were blessed with three sons: Richard (Rick) Marvin, Donald Matthew and David Leo. They made their home in Webster Groves and later in Kirkwood, Mo. After 48 years of marriage, her husband passed away at the age of 74, on Aug. 2, 2003.

Ramona enjoyed her grandchildren. She was active serving in various church-related activities and was a member of Altar Guild and Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML). She was a student of the Bible and enjoyed her many Bible studies. She loved traveling with her husband in their 5th wheel RV all over the USA. She took three trips to Hawaii and her first trip overseas was to Jordan and Israel and another to Germany, France, Switzerland, and England. Later she traveled to the island of Japan. Mostly she liked her many trips back to Iowa to visit family and friends. After retirement from teaching, she was a homemaker and she treasured her family and friends. She especially knew and loved the Lord Christ Jesus as Savior and God as Father.

Ramona is survived by three sons, Richard of Texas, Donald (Debra) and David (Julie) of Wildwood, Mo.; eight grandchildren, Charles, Thomas, George, Lauren, Courtney, James, Mark and Sarah; a sister, Ilene Janice (Robert) Meyer of Sumner, Iowa; along with one step-sibling, Marlys Keding of Long Grove, Iowa.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard (Dick) Lyle McFarland; parents, stepfather and sister, Loretta Jane Corkery of West Union, Iowa; brother-in-law, Dan McFarland of Fredericksburg, Iowa; and one step-sibling, Eldon (Marilyn) Westendorf of Waverly, Iowa.

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