Rocky McFarlane, 74

A Funeral Service for Rocky McFarlane of Lake Bronson will take place on Thursday, June 20, 2024 at Helgeson Funeral Home in Roseau at 6 p.m. with a visitation an hour prior.

Rocky Allen was born on May 25, 1950 to Wilbert and Louise (Stein) McFarlane in Roseau, MN. He grew up primarily in Badger and attended the Badger school where he graduated in 1969. Rocky married Louise (Erickson) on May 23, 1970 at the Rose Lutheran Church near Roseau. Their first daughter Trinity Ann was born in April of 1971.

Rocky graduated from Lee Barber College in St. Paul in the fall of 1971. He joined the Air Force soon after and served as a Sergeant until January 1976. He was an aircraft maintenance specialist/airplane mechanic. He spent many months on assignment across the country and served a year in Thailand during the Vietnam War. He then spent another 2 years in the Air Force Reserves.

After the service, Rocky moved his family back home to Greenbush, MN where he worked at McFarlane Seed. He welcomed his second daughter, Evie Louise in December 1980. In 1983 Rocky, along with his brother Nathan and father Wilbert, bought the grain elevator in Lake Bronson. Later on Rocky bought them out and he owned and operated the elevator, L.B. Grain, moving his family to Lake Bronson in 1989, until he retired in 2008.

Rocky had an amazing mind and could always find multiple solutions to any problem- nothing was unfixable. He was a skilled mechanic and machinist. He spent many years restoring cars, trucks, and old tractors. He was a bona fide tinkerer and loved a challenge.

Rocky died on Monday, June 10, 2024 at the Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND.

Rocky is survived by his wife of 54 years, Louise McFarlane of Lake Bronson, daughters Trinity (Lance) Henderson of Phoenix, AZ and Evie (Brian) Lorenson of Badger, MN; grandchildren Cody (Amy) Abrahamson of Surprise, AZ, Casey (Ashley) Abrahamson of Buckeye, AZ, Isaac Lorenson of Drayton, ND, and Maggie Lorenson of Badger, MN; great-grandchildren Emma, Riley, Josiah, Micah and Shea; brothers Nathan (Benny) McFarlane of Greenbush, MN, Waldan (Karen) McFarlane of Aitkin, MN, and Sandy McFarlane of Thief River Falls, MN; nephew Adam McFarlane and nieces Britt Dahl and September McFarlane.

Rocky was preceded in death by his parents Wilbert and Louise McFarlane, parents-in-law Everett and Bobs Erickson, 2 brothers-in-law, 1 sister-in-law and several aunts and uncles.

Helgeson Funeral Home