Dorothy Nelson Mcfarland

Dorothy Nelson McFarland, 98 of Goshen, died at 10:10 pm Friday, October 22, at Greencroft Healthcare, Goshen. Her health had been failing for the last five years. She was born April 21, 1912 in LaJunta, Colorado to Edward E. and Gladys Metz Miller. On June 16, 1935 in Boulder, Colorado she married Dr. D. Chester Nelson, MD., and they served as medical missionaries in China until he died July 5, 1941. On November 22, 1961 in Goshen, she married Robert McFarland. He died July 23, 1971. Surviving are three children, Edward H. (Judy) Nelson, Crawfordsville, Carolyn M. McFarland, Indianapolis, and Dwight E. (Anna) Nelson, Madison; a sister, Mary Ellen Stucky, Moundridge, Kan.; Danielle Ride, special friend and caregiver; 15 grandchildren; 53 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren She was preceded in death by her parents, a son-in-law, Richard McFarland, who died Sept. 26, 2010, and a sister, Margaret Hjelmsted. Dorothy graduated from Goshen College in 1944 where she was the school’s first nursing graduate. She received her master’s in nursing from Case Western Reserve University in 1952. Dorothy retired in 1977 after 34 years as Director of School Health Services at Goshen Community Schools. She then volunteered with the African Christian Church and Schools as community nurse in Gituru Health Center, Kenya from 1977-82. In 1975 she received the Presbyterian Woman of the Year; Presidential Citation of American School Health Association in 1983; Book of Golden Deeds in 1985; Culture for Service Award from Goshen College in 1991; Diakonia Award from the Goshen Noon Kiwanis Club for outstanding person of the year in 1999; and a certificate of service from Oaklawn for 40 years of service. A 51 year member of the Presbyterian Church, Goshen, she had served on the Stewardship Committee, the Christian Education Committee and sang in the choir. She helped establish LaCasa in Goshen and volunteered at Oaklawn, Greencroft and The Window, all of Goshen Dorothy was a member of  A.A.U.W; District 12 Indiana Nurses Association; Habitat for Humanity, Elkhart County; Elkhart County Council on Aging; and Wabash Valley Presbytery Committee on Mission Interpretation.  Dorothy’s body is being donated to the Indiana University Anatomical Education Program. Friends may call 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Sunday, October 31, First Presbyterian Church, 215 E. Lincoln Ave., Goshen. The Rev. Alan Griffin will officiate the 2:30 p.m., memorial service.  Memorials may be made to Goshen College Nursing Fund, Dr. D. Chester Nelson Memorial Scholarship Fund at Goshen College or Habitat for Humanity.