UNION — Lee C. MacFarland, 85, of Union, died surrounded by his loving family on November 1, 2024 at his home, after a brief illness. Lee was born November 25, 1938 in Rockland to Elston and Mildred (Collins) MacFarland.

Lee grew up in Waltham, Massachusetts and came to Maine in the summers where he enjoyed time spent with his large extended family. One of Lee’s fondest memories of summers in Maine was working at his Uncle Harland and Aunt Vera’s chicken barn in East Union. These experiences were a big reason Lee eventually moved to Maine permanently and he loved attending the Collins family reunions over the years.

Lee began working as a carpenter at the age of thirteen. He continued to build for the rest of his life. He renovated a home for his family in the early 70’s as well as his daughter’s home in the late 90’s. He was also proud to have built a small apartment building on land he bought from Bob Heald adjacent to the family home in the late 80’s. He was an industrious young man who enjoyed hard work. He was a generous person who always enjoyed telling or listening to a good story. You could often find Lee mowing his lawn, working with his tractor and cutting trees and splitting wood to heat his home. He instilled the value of truth and hard work in his children.

Lee was a proud member of the National Guard from 1959 - 1963. He was an Eagle Scout and fondly remembered taking the train to the Boy Scout Jamboree in CA in 1953. He was instrumental in starting the Boy Scouts in Union in the late 1970’s when he became a Boy Scout Leader, leading his son Joe’s troop. He was a friend of Bill W. for thirty-six years. He was also a member of the Union Masonic Lodge 31 in Union.

He was a Red Cross volunteer for many years and helped with the aftermath of several hurricanes in the south with Katrina being the most devastation he saw and talked about for years afterwards. Lee formed at least one life long friendship through these experiences with Jim DeLoach of Oklahoma. He also donated over eight gallons of blood over the years. He volunteered with the town of Union and was a volunteer fireman when he was young. He served on the board of directors at the Thompson Community Center as well as a director of the town of Union’s cemeteries. He also participated in installing Union’s well known bird house road signs as they needed replacing. He loved to go hunting, fishing and harvesting firewood. Lee took great pride in growing a large garden and raising cattle, chickens and pigs. His love of hunting resulted in a 228 lb buck in Warren, 2 bull moose in Newfoundland and a memorable elk hunt out in Idaho.

He was director of the Knox County Fish & Game during the 1960’s. In retirement, he enjoyed running his weekend garage sale at the quarry shop in Union.

Lee was a man who loved his town of Union and was lucky enough to attend both the town’s 1974 bicentennial celebration and the town’s sestercentennial celebration this past summer on the Union Common with his family.

He was predeceased by his parents, and brother, Bruce MacFarland.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Fran MacFarland of Union; son, Joe McDaniels and his wife Deborah O’Cannon of Utah; daughters, Carol VandenBrock of Florida, Laurie Anne McDaniels and her husband Mark Rossiter of Union, April Foley and her husband Tim of Buxton; grandchildren, Brittany McDaniels, Dillon McDaniels, Hunter McDaniels-Rossiter, Tucker McDaniels-Rossiter, and Michael Foley as well as his great grandchildren, Mildred and Lee Foley; and sister-in-law, Lois MacFarland of Massachusetts, as well as his extended family and many friends.

Lee enjoyed several lifelong friendships; high school classmate Jim Goodness for 72 years, John Reilly of Union and Sherwood Hilt also of Union who shared a love of scouting with Lee and worked with him on many projects throughout the years. Lee was able to enjoy visits with John and Sherwood the last few weeks of Lee’s life.

A family gathering will be held in the Summer of 2025 with burial in the Lakeview Cemetery in Union to be announced.

Donations in Lee’s name can be made to the Mason’s Lodge of Union or to the Red Cross.

Arrangements are entrusted to Hall Funeral Home and Crematory, 949 Main Street, Waldoboro. Condolences may be shared with the family at hallfuneralhomes.com