Volunteer Extraordinaire

Tuesday, 15 July 2014 at 10:34

The passing of well known volunteer and community leader, Bob McFarland, is being felt throughout the county.

"He's going to be very, very sorely missed because of who he was and he really could easily connect to anyone he was talking to."

Diana Handsaeme worked with Bob McFarland on the Oxford Master Aging Plan and most recently with the 50 Plus Initiative, a project he was currently educating the public on.

Bob passed away Monday at the age of 68.

His most recent work on the 50 Plus Initiative included the upcoming Three Rural Road Shows planned for next month. Diana says the committee will continue to work on making Bob's visions a reality. "I think it's going to be pulling us all back together to look at how we can continue with the 50 Plus Initiative and his vision of this moving to a place where, again, the 50 Plus Initiative would be a document that would be used when decisions were being made in Oxford County whether it's politically or socially, or looking at how we can make that a reality."

Kelly Gilson, Executive Director of United Way Oxford says she had the pleasure of working with Bob who sat on the grant review team for the United Way. "He was absolutely committed to supporting seniors and making sure that they're informed, and boosting awareness. It's such a huge loss for our community because he was a volunteer extraordinaire."

Bob dedicated his time to serving on the boards for the South Gate Centre and Cowan Park Rec Centre. He also volunteered with Creative Connections, Theatre Woodstock and Winter Lights Committee, to name a few.

For seven-and-a-half years, Bob sat in the position of Director of Community Services for the city of Woodstock and was very instrumental in the completion of the new Woodstock Art Gallery, skate park and two dog parks.

Public Health Nurse, Lorna Boratto, who sat on the Oxford Trails Council and Public Health Active Living Team with Bob, says he earned the respect of all that had the pleasure of working with him. "He was very quiet, unassuming, very clear, he had a very clear focus, he could articulate very well and you always knew that if he said he was going to do something, he did it. And just his quiet leadership."

Bob will surely be missed in our community and the staff of Heart FM send our deepest sympathies and condolences to his family and friends.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Brock & Visser Funeral Home. Full details are available here.