GLOUCESTER: Edna "Faye" (Elwell) MacFarland, 79, of 131 Mt. Pleasant Avenue died at her home late Friday evening surrounded by her family. She was the wife of the late Norman M. MacFarland, who died in August of 1996. They had shared 49 years of marriage.
Born in Gloucester on December 24, 1928, she was the daughter of the late Norman and Dora Elwell. She was a graduate of the Gloucester High School class of 1946.
Faye was employed in the fish processing industry along the Gloucester waterfront for most of her life. She had worked for numerous firms including Capt. Joe's, Bertolino's and the former Mass Coastal.
A longtime communicant of the former St. Peter's Church, she was an avid knitter and enjoyed making afghans to donate to the church fairs. Her generosity also reached children across the world and she was recognized for her many decades of support to the Christian Children's Fund.
A loving and devoted wife, mother, sister and grandmother, she was very proud of her family and all of their accomplishments, however great or small, she cherished them all. Her wonderful sense of humor and twinkle in her eye will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Norman "Scott" and Kendra (Arnold) MacFarland, two daughters and three sons-in-law, Donna F. and Earl J. Unis, Jr., Patricia A. and John J. McCarthy, and Walter C. Cabral,all of Gloucester, nine grandchildren, Tammie, Walter and Daniel Cabral, Shannon, Earl Norman and Melissa Unis, Kevin and Norman "Michael" MacFarland, Colleen and Jeremiah McCarthy, six great-granchildren, Brandi and Catherine "Cassie" Cabral, Christopher Wheeler, Naomi and Katie Cabral, and Kazira Slocum. She also leaves two sisters, Agnes Mahan and Grace Cote, and a brother and sister-in-law, Warren E. and Patricia Elwell, many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews and dear friends, including her lifelong friend, Patricia Costa. She was also predeceased by her daughter, Cathy D. Cabral, two sisters, E. Betty White and Dora M.Jensen and her brother, Albert Elwell.
Her funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday morning in the Holy Family Parish, St. Ann Church at 11 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday evening in the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester from 4 - 8 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to the Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St., Danvers, MA 01923 or the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701. Interment will be held privately.