Twilah Mae McFarland, 89, of Neosho died Oct. 17, 2009, in her home following a prolonged illness.

 She was born in Zurich, Kan., on Dec 3, 1919, to John Fredrick and Evangeline (Sutor) Seefeld. She had two siblings.

Twilah was salutatorian of her high school class in 1937. She then graduated from Kansas State Teacher’s College, Emporia with a B.S. degree and majors in Science, Mathematics and Education. She earned her future husband’s attention with the top grade in their calculus class. Their marriage began in 1940, and ended with his death 68 years later. They enjoyed adventure and opportunity and lived in numerous locations including Madison Wis., Marblehead Mass., Chase and Manhattan Kan., Durham N.C., Livermore and Berkeley Calif., Gaithersburg Md., and Rolla, Columbia and Neosho Mo.

During World War II Twilah worked as an engineer on radar hardware in Salem Mass., and later taught math at the University of Wisconsin and Kansas State University. Subsequently she devoted her loving efforts to her husband, children and grandchildren. She volunteered extensively in Boy Scouts, Red Cross Bloodmobile, Hospital Auxiliary, League of Women Voters, Sheltered Workshop, Kiwanis Queens, Rolla Public Schools, as a member of DAR, and with a number of University related women’s groups. Twilah and Mac collaborated on two genealogic books researching and cataloging over 25,000 relatives.

Twilah is survived by her sons, R. Alan McFarland and wife Birgitt Krause, Spokane Wash.; Dr. Rodney McFarland and wife Katherine, Neosho Mo.; four granddaughters, Aaryn and husband Dr. Scott McClintick, Joplin Mo.; Sarah and husband Joshua Ohlmeier, Merriam Kan.; Kacey and fiancée Bret Weaver, Minneapolis Minn.; and (aspiring Dr.) Kristin McFarland of Columbia Mo.; and three great grandsons, Malachi Ohlmeier, William McClintick and Duncan McClintick due to arrive Nov. 5.

She was preceded in death by her husband Dr. Robert Harold McFarland, her parents, her brother Donald Seefeld, and her sister Greta Jean Snell, and a grandson, Robert William, who died in infancy.

Graveside services will be held Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at IOOF Cemetery, Neosho, with Rev. Al Gritten officiating.

Friends may call at the funeral home Thursday, from noon until 5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The family will receive friends at the cemetery, Saturday, from 12:30 until service time.

Memorial contributions may be made to Parkinson’s Foundation, c/o Clark Funeral Home, PO Box 66, Neosho, Mo., 64850.

Arrangements under direction of Clark Funeral Home, Neosho, Mo.