Grady Lee McFarland, Jr.

Funeral services for Grady Lee McFarland, Jr., 83, of Dallas, formerly of Wills Point, TX, are scheduled for 11:00 AM, Wednesday, June 1, 2022, at Hiett's LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point. Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 PM, Tuesday, May 31, 2022.

Grady Lee McFarland, Jr., was born June 26, 1938, in the Enterprise Community north of Wills Point. He was the son of Grady Lee McFarland, Sr., and Mattie Hollister McFarland. He passed away on May 27, 2022, at Presbyterian Hospital of Plano. 

Grady, called “Buster” or “Bud” by his family and childhood friends, spent his youth on the family farm where he enjoyed the life of a typical farm boy, mixing work and play alongside his eight siblings.  Although he worked hard with his family, he also enjoyed time roaming the countryside, hunting, and fishing. His parents exemplified and instilled in him love for family, for the land, and faith in God. 

He began his education in the Enterprise schools, transferred to the Wills Point Schools in 1949 and graduated in 1956.  He participated in many activities including football, Future Farmers of America, and choir.  President of his Senior class, Grady was a friend to all.

He attended North Texas State University. After college, he entered the U.S. Navy and served his country from 1959-1965 aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Shangri-La.  He was deployed throughout the world and served during the Cuban Missile Crisis. As a member of the U.S. Naval Choir, he traveled widely, including Washington D.C., where he sang for Presidents.

After discharge from the Navy, Grady resided in Dallas and began his business career. He became a proud father when his son Brent Lee was born on June 26, 1972, to him and Donna McFarland. Grady married Mona Powell in 1989 and another son, Eric, joined his family. 

Grady worked for different companies honing his business and salesmanship skills.  He was a natural-born salesman with his congenial, out-going personality. While working in Houston, he attended the University of Houston. In Dallas he began his own company MRL Manufacturing and later worked at Hugh M. Cunningham Companies until his retirement in 2020.  He trained and mentored many young men and women throughout his business career.  

As a youth, Grady professed his faith in Jesus Christ as His Savior and  rededicated his life to Christ as an adult.  A strong Christian influence in several churches, he enjoyed teaching Sunday School and fulfilling other roles. Family and strangers witnessed his love for Jesus through his loving and caring actions.  Truly, it can be said that he never met a stranger as he smiled and conversed with people in a way that made them feel his genuine caring and kindness.  

After the remodeling of the family farmhouse in 2002, Grady enjoyed the many family gatherings and celebrations that took place there. He cooked and baked extraordinary desserts to share at these gatherings. In later years, he spent many happy hours at the farm driving the family’s Farmall tractors, often with children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews onboard, working on his tractor collection, or just sitting on the back porch enjoying the view of the land and nature. 

Grady is preceded in death by his parents Grady and Mattie McFarland and his brothers Thomas Lee, Donnie, and Steve McFarland.

He is survived by his wife Mona; his son Brent and wife Angela; his son Eric and wife Cassie; his grandchildren Daniel Rodgers, Colby Murray, Addy McFarland, Ava McFarland, and Karly Murray; and four great-grandchildren.  He is also survived by his brothers Frank, James, and Ronnie McFarland and sisters Naomi Caldwell, Nell Carter, Joyce Gassiott, many nieces and nephews and many more family and friends.  

Funeral services are under the direction of Heitt-Lybrand Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to Wills Point Veterans Park, 288 Post Oak Dr., Wills Point, TX, 75169.

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