Douglas McFall

Douglas Gordon McFall, age 94, of Alpharetta, Georgia, passed away Friday, March 3, 2023. Doug was born on January 13, 1929, in Platteville, Wisconsin, the last of eight children of George Elwood and Eunice Jane (Gollmer) McFall. He grew up on the Bluebird Dairy Farm in southwestern Wisconsin in a family of four brothers and three sisters.

Doug attended the one-room Whig School and Platteville High School. He continued his education at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, where he met Wanda Burkhead. They met again in South Dakota and were married on June 3, 1949, in Hot Springs, South Dakota, where he worked maintenance at Custer State Park. After living in South Dakota and Texas, the family moved to New Mexico, where he worked with Sinclair Oil Company as a roustabout, repairing equipment and machinery. He transferred with Sinclair and moved his family to Carmi, Illinois, in 1961. When Sinclair moved out of Carmi, the McFalls bought the Cabana Motel, which they ran successfully for several years. After selling the motel in 1975, Doug became a full-time carpenter, starting out with Cozart and Anselment, and then striking out on his own. He was a meticulous craftsman and enjoyed creating design plans for remodeling projects. He was proud to be named the People's Choice Best Carpenter in White County in 1995.

Doug spent time as a missionary builder in Ecuador, Columbia, and Haiti with OMS International. He loved his large family, enjoyed crafting wooden items, and also loved reading, especially about the old West and the Civil War. He retired in 2014. His wife and partner of 66 years, Wanda, passed away in 2015, and Doug moved to Alpharetta Georgia to live with his daughter, Diana. There he joined Milton Community Church where he met new friends and enjoyed senior activities. His kindness and influence will forever remain in the lives of all who knew him.

Along with his parents, Doug is preceded in death by his wife, Wanda Burkhead McFall, three sisters, Gladys Brown, Dorothy Zart, Margaret Sigurdson, and four brothers, Dale, Lyle, George and Robert McFall. He is survived by two children, Diana McFall of Alpharetta, Georgia, and Daniel (Kathy) McFall of Mascoutah, Illinois; 5 grandchildren, Sarah (James) Friesen of Tampa, Florida, Jennifer (Tim) Kingery of Deerfield, Illinois, Amanda (Marc) Ayala of Oviedo, Florida, Issa Waters (Joshua Bardwell) of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Philip (Racheal) Cook of Woodstock, Georgia; 10 great-grandchildren, Margret, John, and Paul Friesen; Maddie and Ethan Ayala; Zachary and Valerie Kingery; Dylan and Quinn Bardwell, and Leo Cook; as well as numerous nieces and nephews who were very special to him.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 25 at 11:00 a.m. at Melby Funeral Home & Crematory, Platteville, Wisconsin. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery, Platteville. Memorials can be made to the American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice. Online condolences can be made at www.melbyfh.com.