Joan Archer McFarland

Joan Archer McFarland passed away Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at the age of 96. She was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. Joan and her family were long-time residents of Biloxi, MS having moved to Biloxi in 1965.

Joan was born in St. Joseph, Missouri to Fred and May Archer. She was the youngest of their three children, joining brother, Harry Lyle Archer and sister, Beverly Jean Archer.

Joan was raised in the Episcopal Church. She graduated from Central High School and worked at the Plymouth Department Store until being asked to do a Children’s Story Time on the local radio station in St. Joseph, which she dearly loved. During this time, Joan was asked to go on a blind date and that is when she met the love of her life, William “Bill” E. McFarland. They were married for 72 years. Upon getting married, they remained in St. Jospeh, MO and welcomed three children into their lives: sons, William Randall “Randy” McFarland and James Eric “Jimmy” McFarland and daughter, Jill McFarland. When Joan married Bill, she joined his church, The First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). They lived in St Joseph until 1965 at which time Bill was transferred to Gulfport, MS with the National Cash Register Company (NCR), but they made their home in Biloxi, MS. In 1975, Joan and Bill moved to Pensacola, FL for several years and then moved to Little Rock, AK where Bill worked until he retired from NCR in 1989. While in Little Rock, Joan and Bill returned to the Episcopal Church. When they moved back to Biloxi in 1989, they joined the Redeemer Episcopal Church in Biloxi, there Joan was a devoted member of the ECW or Daughter’s of the King. They were members until Hurricane Katrina destroyed the church. A short time later, they joined St. Peter’s by the Sea in Gulfport, MS. While there, Joan continued her devoted work with the Daughter’s of the King (Altar Guild). Joan loved taking care of her family. She was a gifted homemaker and loved entertaining in her home. She was very crafty and loved making all kinds of things, like angels, ornaments, oil paintings, decorative baskets and trinkets, baby blankets, and more to benefit her church bazaar’s charity and occasionally, for boutique shops. However, she mostly gave her crafts away as gifts as she was always very caring and giving and loved to help those in need.

Joan was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her parents, Fred and May Archer; brother, Harry Archer; sister, Beverly Copeland; and her granddaughter, Jennifer Alise McFarland.

She is survived by her three children, Randy (Susan) McFarland, Jimmy (Kathy) McFarland, and Jill (Glenn) Carnathan; six grandchildren, Brett (Nikki) McFarland, Melissa (Doug) McFarland Harwell, Chris (Gina) McFarland, Steven (Alicia) McFarland, Julie Carnathan and Lauren (Bobby) Carnathan Wilson. She has also been blessed with five precious great-granddaughters, seven awesome great-grandsons, three lovely nieces, and three wonderful nephews.

We will miss your smile, Mother, your caring ways and your zest for life. You were always so positive and forgiving and you loved your family dearly. What a wonderful blessing you have been to us all!

A celebration of life will be held Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at St. Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church in Gulfport, MS. Friends are invited to visit from 10:30 am – 11:00 am. The funeral service will begin at 11:00 am followed by a burial service at 12:30 pm at Biloxi National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Altar Guild of St. Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church or Gentiva Hospice, 2800 Dauphin St., Ste 103, Mobile, AL 36606.

Joan’s family will be forever grateful for the warmth, kindness, compassion, and dedicated care she received a Proveer Assisted Living and Memory Care of Heritage Woods, Mobile, Aland from Gentiva Hospice, Mobile, AL which brought great comfort to our mother and our entire family.

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Joan Archer McFarland