His military service included medals and two Purple Hearts Roger Lee McFarlin joined our Lord and Father in Heaven on Feb. 1, 2007. Throughout his short battle with cancer, he kept his sense of pride and love for his family.
Born in Ava, on Aug. 25, 1946, to Robert and Joyce McFarlin, Roger would have never imagined being part of such a large family– one sister and 10 brothers!
His Grandmother Mertie, dear to him since his childhood, instilled in him a great desire and respect for education. He graduated high school, followed by an AA degree from College of the Ozarks, in 1964. He completed an undergraduate degree at Pembroke State University while serving in the U.S. Army as a member of the elite 82nd Airborne Division. His military service with the Special Forces emphasized his courage and patriotism as he served two tours of duty in Southeast Asia. There he received medals for service, including two Purple Hearts.
Later, he received a masters degree from Boston University.
In 1973, while stationed in Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, he met his loving wife Rosanna, and her two young children, Marzia and Marco, whom he proudly raised as his own. In 1977 Roger and Rosanna had a little girl, Roberta, named after his father.
He constantly strived to educate and dedicate himself to work, country and most of all his family. During his military career he worked as a paratrooper, military police officer, and as a criminal investigation division special agent. He received much recognition for his ability, dedication, and honesty that reflected well upon his chain of command.
He honorably retired as a polygraph examiner and special investigator in 1993 with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 3. In the same year he was chosen among many applicants to become the polygraph examiner for the Department of Corrections for the State of Arizona. He held this position for 13 years.
Services were held Sunday, Feb. 4, at Abel Funeral Home in Phoenix, Ariz. Plans for a local service will be announced at a later date.
Survivors include his wife Rosanna, daughters, Marzia and Roberta of Phoenix, Ariz., and son Marco, of Philadelphia, Pa., and their families; one sister, Arlene Goforth, of Vinita, Okla.; and 10 brothers, Robert and Charlotte, of Joplin, Clinton and Gereldene, of Jacksonville, Fla., Richard and Patty, of Farmington, Randy and Margaret, of Overland Park, Kan., Larry of Rogersville, Otis and Sheila, Ronald and April, Francis and Connie, Phillip and Judy, Terry and Tammie, all of Ava.
