Our History

GOING BACK IN TIME

Our History

McFarland Funeral Chapel & Crematory has been a trusted part of western North Carolina since 1911, when pioneer funeral director Frank K. McFarland, Sr. opened the F.K. McFarland Funeral Home on Main Street in Tryon. After beginning his career selling caskets at a local general store, he studied embalming in Raleigh and became the first licensed embalmer in Polk County. Known as “Senior,” he and his wife, Flora Fisher McFarland, earned a reputation for offering compassionate, professional care with dignity—values that continue to guide us today.

Frank McFarland, Jr. joined the family business full time in 1946 after serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II and completing his training at the Cincinnati College of Embalming. The tradition continued into the next generation when F.K. McFarland III entered funeral service following his graduation from Wofford College and Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service. His wife, Darlene Grigg McFarland, joined the funeral home in 1984 and later earned her funeral director’s license as they welcomed their son, Frank Kenneth “Keen” McFarland IV, in 1988.

In 1962, the funeral home moved into its current Williamsburg-style chapel on Highway 108, which remains a familiar landmark in the community. As needs evolved, the facility was expanded and updated, including the addition of dedicated preplanning offices in 1995.

A major milestone came in 1979 with the installation of one of the region’s first on-site crematories. This advancement allowed McFarland to oversee every step of the cremation process, ensuring that each loved one remains in our care at all times—a commitment we still uphold.

Today, our team includes licensed embalmers, funeral directors, an experienced office staff, and dedicated part-time personnel. Together, we continue the McFarland family’s long-standing belief in providing “professional service with dignity,” just as Frank K. McFarland, Sr. first did more than a century ago.