Cr. Robert J. McFerran's Obituary
Dr. Robert James McFerran was born on Jan. 13, 1926, in Hays, KS. After his mother's death, he was placed in a Denver orphanage at age three, and adopted by John C. and Lena McFerran in 1933.
He grew up in the Midwest and met his future wife, Betty Sterly at Calumet High School in Chicago. As soon as he turned 18, Bob joined the war effort, and fought for his country as a corporal in the Army Air Corps from 1944-1946, working as both an air control tower operator and cryptographer in Hawaii and Okinawa, where he was part of the last major Pacific theater battle.
After the war, he married Betty and studied medicine at the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana. Bob and Betty moved to Orange, CA in 1958, where he served the citizens of Orange as a family doctor until 1984. During this time he earned a Masters in Public Health from Loma Linda University and then spent time as Director of Student Health Services at Cal State Fullerton while also serving on the faculty of the UCI School of Medicine as Associate Professor.
After moving to Valley Center in 1986, he continued mentoring medical students in the University of California, San Diego, residency program. His next ten years of "retirement" were spent taking care of Marines at Camp Pendleton medical clinics. When that proved too long of a commute, he continued his life-long ministry of practicing family medicine at Indian Health Center in Pauma Valley until 2010, when he finally retired at age 84.
Bob left a legacy of faith and faithfulness; he not only shared his love for his Savior wherever he went, he faithfully served his Lord as a charter member of Community Lutheran Church where he encouraged, and was encouraged by, his church family.
Betty was his beloved helpmate in all he did, and their 66 years of marriage was blessed with seven children, 23 grandchildren, and 30 great-grandchildren who all treasure the godly legacy Grandpa Mac left behind.
He died peacefully at home on Feb. 10, 2014. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb.15, at Community Lutheran Church, 3575 E. Valley Pkwy, Escondido, CA 92027. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Community Lutheran Church, 3575 E. Valley Pkwy., Escondido, CA 92027, or Concordia University Irvine Foundation, 1530 Concordia West, Irvine, CA 92612.
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