Andrew D. MacFarland

1948 - 2018

Andrew Douglas MacFarland, 70, died peacefully at home in the arms of his wife on Saturday after a 4 year struggle with Parkinson's Disease. He was the first son of Douglas Andrew MacFarland and Beatrice (Shine) MacFarland. Along with his wife, Nancy Polseno, he is survived by his two beloved children, Gabe and Siena and his precious granddaughter Fiona, all of whom were with him throughout his last days. He is also survived by his mother, Beatrice MacFarland and his siblings Mary Jane Williams, Gail Turner, Kay Stringer, Charles MacFarland and many dedicated nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father Douglas MacFarland and younger sister Dawn.

Born June 27th, 1948 in Brattleboro, he attended the one room schoolhouse in the town of Newfane, where he was raised, and graduated from BUHS in 1966. A graduate of Miami University of Ohio, he served in the Vermont National Guard, and earned a masters degree in health care administration from Westfield State College. After college he worked briefly at BUHS, the Brattleboro Retreat, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and was a founding member and later a co-director of Green Mountain Health Center where he met and fell in love with his wife, Nancy. He settled into a long career at the Brattleboro Retreat working with adolescents and later creating off campus programs. He concluded his career as health care administrator at Otter Creek Associates. Andrew always loved children and was perhaps most proud of the residential Families in Recovery program he created where mothers in substance abuse recovery brought their young children with them for comprehensive treatment.

In his professional as well as his personal life, he was known for his unique ability to bring people with very different viewpoints together. Andrew was deeply committed to the town of Dummerston where he lived for over 40 years, raised his family and served in many capacities. He was a school board member, chairman and representative to the WSESU board. He was a selectman, served for several years as head selectman and a member of the planning commission. In the larger community he served on many non-profit boards and committees including the Winston Prouty Center, the Gathering Place, Brattleboro Area Hospice, and Windham and Windsor Housing Trust.

He was a patient and loving husband, an exceptional father and an effortlessly helpful parental figure for anybody who needed one. For a gentle man, he played a fierce game of tennis. Andrew was a voracious reader and we will remember him with a wide smile as he peppered conversations with wry, intelligent remarks. He took pride in his clear concise writing and would tell us, if he were still here, that this obituary is far too long!

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 5th at 1:00 pm at the old Stone Church at the corner of Main and Grove in Brattleboro. A reception will follow at Otter Creek Associates, Matrix Health Systems, 80 Linden Street, Brattleboro.