John David McFARLAND

John David McFARLAND

McFARLAND, John David John David McFarland was born in Toronto June 3, 1928. He was raised in the Baptist Church and, as a boy soprano, sang in the choir, hymns such as “I Tried the Broken Cisterns Lord, But All the Waters Failed”. Sigrid found it a delight to listen to him and they married on August 12, 1967.

John was a man who could charm the birds out of the trees with his delightful singing and whistling. He did so for many years when he and I visited Point Pelee in the spring, watching the birds and socializing with old friends like Mike McEvoy and others like Robert Taylor, who passed away too soon. Eventually, John and I went further afield, driving west to North Dakota and Montana, or south to Nebraska, Texas and Florida. Argentina was a wonderful experience, too and Antarctica. Listening to the Japanese fishermen, radioing one another while we were on Attu in the Aleutian Islands, was a lot like listening to the Canadian fishermen out looking for Codfish in the Atlantic waters off Nova Scotia.

So many beautiful notes over the years attest to the regard John’s students had for him and their appreciation of his teaching. One of his great strengths was in asking questions. John’s own student career was outstanding. He graduated from Oakwood Collegiate and then from the University of Toronto in 1956, first in his class, first in his year and first in the university. Next he studied at the University of Chicago through a scholarship and from there went to Magdalen College, Oxford in 1958, where he studied with Professor Gilbert Ryle, Waynflete Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy in the University of Oxford and the most influential figure in British philosophy in the middle years of the 20th Century. John’s thesis advisor was Richard Walsh, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. John became friends with both of these men and valued his relationship with them for the rest of his days. York University was started in 1966 at a wonderful old mansion at Bayview and Lawrence Avenues and John was one of the first instructors hired. He and Lionel Rubinoff formed the Philosophy Department. John loved the old mansion that became Glendon College and the intimate atmosphere. “We talked with each other a lot.” In 1966 Magdalen College, Oxford, admitted John to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy for his thesis “Kant’s Concept of Teleology.” John was Professor of Philosophy at York University from 1964 to 1994. During that time, he also served for several years as Chair of the Department of Philosophy and also in 1974/1975 as Chair of the York University Senate.

A wonderful help to John and me in the later period of John’s illness have been my brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Linda Brovold; Professor John Warkentin, Geographer and Senior Scholar at York University and Michael McEvoy, our birding buddy – both fine old friends. Our thanks and appreciation go as well to Christie Gardens Long-Term Care staff, particularly to Dr. Peter Kopplin, Debbie Stipetic-Advocate for the Seaton Neighbourhood and the many wonderful personal support workers and nurses who have cared for John.

Friends, former colleagues and students of John’s are welcome to join us here at Christie Gardens on Monday, November 12th from 2 to 4 p.m. to celebrate John’s life.