Norris "Mac" MacFarland

Norris "Mac" MacFarland, 86, husband of Judy Jackson MacFarland of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina died on Tuesday, September 25, 2012. The relatives and friends of Mac MacFarland are invited to attend his Funeral Service at the graveside on Friday, September 28, 2012 in Beaufort National Cemetery, 1601 Boundary Street, Beaufort SC at 10:00 am. The family will receive friends on Thursday, September 27, 2012 in J. HENRY STUHR, INC., MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL from 8:00 pm until 9:00 pm.

Norris was born on February 22, 1926 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, the only child of the late Thomas MacFarland and Louise Box MacFarland. In 1944, while in his senior year at Germantown High School, Mac became the first in his class to join the United States Army and serve his country in World War II. He landed in Marseilles, France in the fall of 1944, part of the 42nd Rainbow Division, Company B, 1st Battalion. He served as a medic and was wounded in action while in France.

In 1950, Mac graduated with a degree in construction engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He went into the construction business and within five years was able to start his own business, MacFarland Construction Company. When New York State undertook a massive program of bridge rehabilitation, Mac's company was first in the area to go into bridge rebuilding. When Rockefeller Center North in Albany was being planned, he went into the demolition business. He demolished one brownstone per day for over six months, covering thirty five acres. His company was the first to build sewage treatment plants in the Albany area. Mac built the first major downtown office building in 35 years. His company did extensive work for General Electric and Ford Motor Company all over the country. With some other local businessmen, he formed the first commercial bank in 40 years in upstate New York. In 1973, he went into the shopping center business with Senator Howard Nolan and Mark Heller, a rewarding thirty-nine year partnership that continues to this day. Mac attended East Cooper Baptist Church in Mount Pleasant.

He is survived by his wife, Judy MacFarland of Mount Pleasant, SC. Although Mac was proud of his many professional achievements, he was even more proud of his four children; a son, Scott MacFarland and his wife, Bonnie, of Steamboat Springs, CO; daughters, Lynda MacFarland Phillips and her husband, Ross, of Salt Lake City, UT and Dianne MacFarland of Albany, NY; son, Jim Golden and his wife, Dawn, of Virginia Beach, VA, and a step-son, Stephen Kosmopoulos of Columbia, SC. He was blessed with seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren and treasured the time that he was able to spend with them.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256.