The Hon. Ward Wharton McFarland, Alabama Hero to Have Plaque Unveiled at The US Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C.
On June 8th, 2022 the late Hon. Ward Wharton McFarland, Esq. will be honored with a
plaque at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington D.C. for his service to the United States and the State of Alabama. Mr. McFarland was a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama born in 1914.
During his service in the United States Navy during World War II, his vessel was torpedoed in the North Atlantic, and Mr. McFarland accepted a medical discharge, receiving a Purple Heart medal. Upon his return to Alabama, Mr. McFarland voluntarily enlisted in the U.S Army Air Corps at Maxwell Field–demonstrating lifelong patriotism to the United States.
Mr. McFarland dedicated his young adulthood to his country through his service in the
armed forces and, later, for his outstanding success as a skilled attorney, educator, real estate developer, and entrepreneur. Mr. McFarland founded a multi-million-dollar real estate empire that included the development of malls, apartment complexes, medical buildings, restaurants, hotels, and neighborhoods throughout the South.
Also teaching economics as an adjunct professor at his alma mater, The University of Alabama, Mr. McFarland touched the lives of many students.
The state of Alabama honored the late Mr. Ward Wharton McFarland for his outstanding
character and leadership, and the Alabama Senate commemorated him as one of the state’s most outstanding and contributing citizens in 1979 following his passing. Mr. McFarland dedicated his life to service in many sectors of his life, through service to his family, his community, his state, and his country.
Former Alabama Governor James E. Folsom, Jr. reminisced on his experiences with Mr.
McFarland, “I have many fond memories of Ward Wharton McFarland, as he served in my
father’s cabinet for many years. He was very instrumental in programs such as the
Farm-to-Market initiative under the James E. ‘Big Jim’ Folsom administration, paving over
6,000 miles of road in 3 years. I always remembered him as a cordial person and one of my father’s key advisors during those years. Especially throughout his role in the
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Compact of 1959.” Mr. McFarland served Alabama Governor James W. “Big Jim” Folsom, Sr. in two Cabinet-level appointments: State Highway Director in the first Folsom Administration from 1947-1951 and State Docks Director in the second Folsom Administration from 1955-1959.
Dean of the Alabama Congressional Delegation Robert Aderholt, Member of Congress
(R-Haleyville), will join Governor Folsom at the dedication ceremony and unveil Mr.
McFarland’s plaque at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington on June 8. Congressman
Aderholt said, ““It is a privilege to witness Mr. McFarland’s memory enshrined on the U.S. Navy Memorial. His dedicated service to our country serves as a reminder to us all of the sacrifices and bravery of people like him that have made America the greatest country in the world. His service to our country and the state of Alabama will live far beyond our lifetimes, and his memory will forever be enshrined at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C.”
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Courtesy of Alabama Press Association
