Edward T. "Eddie Mac" Mcfarland

Funeral services for Edward T. “Eddie Mac” McFarland, 93, of Lufkin, will be held Tuesday, July 31, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. in the Carroway Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Cindy Doran officiating. Graveside services with military honors will follow in the Thompson Cemetery in Forest.

Mr. McFarland was born October 15, 1924 in Lufkin, Texas to the late Lucy (Barker) and Tommy Otis McFarland, and died Tuesday, July 24, 2018 in Lufkin.

Mr. McFarland had resided in Lufkin all of his life. He served his country in the United States Marines from 1942-1957. He was an attorney in Lufkin for more than 50 years. He was a member of the Lufkin Masonic Lodge #669, A.F. & A.M., the American Legion, State Bar of Texas, and the Angelina County Bar Association. Mr. McFarland was a member of First United Methodist Church of Lufkin.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Mary Mason; and brother, Charlie Harrell McFarland.

As a young boy, Eddie delivered newspapers to help support his mother and siblings. By the age of thirteen, he worked before and after school as a janitor and “printer’s devil” for the Lufkin Daily News. His side job was delivering doughnuts to the downtown cafes with the benefit of eating all the hot donuts he wanted! In high school, the newspaper let him stay nights in a small area off the pressroom where he took advantage of the office showers after football practice.

Eddie played under Coach Abe Martin, and he and all thirteen of his team mates went on to serve in the military during WWII. He served as a Captain in the Marines both before and after law school.  He was proud of the fact that all thirteen members also received college degrees and several attained additional higher degrees. After returning to Lufkin, he was elected Angelina County Judge in 1954 at the age of 29. He was the first county judge to oversee a million dollar budget and became infamous as the judge who replaced the original old courthouse with the current building. His methods included having workers place large timbers against the building to “look as if they were keeping the building from collapse” when he heard that the concept of a new courthouse was in danger of not passing.

Eddie Mac was a practicing attorney for over fifty years and was known for his defense of the common man. He was a proud Democrat who was known for his generosity to others less fortunate and his unwavering loyalty to friends. Eddie’s life revolved around being a “lawyer” and he considered the people who worked at the Angelina County Courthouse as “his family.”

Pallbearers will be Judge Bob Inselman, John Reeves, Jim Squires, Don Morris, Kent Henson, Wade Jabbour, Jr., Royce Garrett and Joe Collmorgen.

Honorary pallbearers will be Al Meyer, Judge Joe Berry, George Chandler, Lacy Chimney, Wade Jabbour, Sr., Judge Paul White, Judge David Walker and Judge Clyde Herrington.

The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Tuesday afternoon prior to the service at the funeral home.

Memories and condolences may be added, and live webcasting of the services may be viewed at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.