David Gordon MacFarlane^{[1, 2]}

1909 - 2009  (100 years)

• Name	David Gordon MacFarlane
  Birth	5 Mar 1909	Durban, Natal, South Africa
  Baptism	28 Jun 1909	Durban, Natal, South Africa   [2]
  Gender	Male
  Death	4 May 2009	Nelson, Marlborough, New Zealand
  Person ID	I282740898905	MacFarlane
  Last Modified	7 Feb 2026

  
  

  Father	Trenwith Maurice MacFarlane,   b. 29 Nov 1876, Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand d. 7 Dec 1925, Whaupuhunga, Waikato, New Zealand (Age 49 years)
  Mother	Louie Helen Bremner,   b. 4 Feb 1884, Wellington province, New Zealand d. 1 Mar 1972, Nelson, Marlborough, New Zealand (Age 88 years)
  Family ID	F66	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Dorothy Lavinia Jenkins,   b. 29 Aug 1921, Johannesburg, Gauteng, Transvaal, South Africa d. 30 Aug 2008, Nelson, Marlborough, New Zealand (Age 87 years)
  Marriage	3 Aug 1979	Registrars Office, Nelson, Marlborough, New Zealand
  _SREL	unknown
  Children	+ 1. John Macfarlane, 7th Baron of Arrochar 4th Clan Chief,   b. Abt 1395   d. 1441 (Age 46 years)   2. Thomas Macfarlane, of Clachbuy,   b. Abt 1400   d. DECEASED  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F63	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	7 Feb 2026

  
  

• Notes

  Born in South Africa, Gordon returned to NZ with his parents in 1913 when about 4 years old. They lived in Nelson for about 2 years during WW1 while Trennie worked at Cable Bay. The family then moved to Wellington and lived in Kelburn and Karori. Trennie abandoned the family in 1919 and Gordon was forced to leave school at age 12 to help support his family. He worked for the Dalgety Company (stock and station agents) and on a farm at Hicks Bay (Gisborne) before WW2 and was an artillery reserve. He eventually served as a hospital ship medic (Army number 46871) because his eyesight precluded active service. He served as a medic for four years, all of that time on HS Maunganui. After WW2 he worked at the Riwaka tobacco research station for about 4 years then returned to a medical environment - he was an administrator (cashier) at Nelson Public Hospital for many years, until he retired in about 1970 (?). Gordon was keen on Primrose (whom he met on the Mauganui) but she married Ian instead, which caused a family rift lasting until Ian's death in 1986. Don recalls that the first time he met Gordon was at the age of 18 (late 1969 or early 1970) when he walked up to him in Nelson one evening and said 'you must be my Uncle Gordon; you look so much like my dad' - Gordon didn't know what to do so just walked away, and the next time Don saw him was at Ian's funeral! Gordon married Jo late in life (he was 70, she was 57) and they had no children. He played golf regularly for 40 years (handicap 14) until arthritis forced him to give it up at age 92. Similarly, he continued regular swimming until forced to quit. Much of his golf was played with his great friend Graham Fish whose daughter (Deb) was Gordon's god-daughter. It was Deb who stayed closest to Gordon in his later years. Gordon never met his grandfather, John Macfarlane, who died in 1909, several years before they returned to New Zealand. Gordons Military History Army Number 46871 Served in NZ Medical Corps, on board hospital ship ‘Maunganui’ Overseas/at sea 25 Jul 1941 through 25 Feb 1945 with only short leave periods in Wellington His military record shows that he was a farmer (farm worker?) pre-war. Address shown as Matarau Station, Hicks Bay (Gisborne), employer R E Wood Shown as having 7 years Territorial experience, rank of Sergeant. He was a L/Cpl in the Medical Corps. Medals Awarded: 1939-45 Star Atlantic Star Africa Star Italy Star Defence Medal War Medal 1939-45 NZ War Service Medal

  
  

• Sources

  [S1027704059] Donald Featherston Macfarlane, Donald Featherston Macfarlane NZ, (Gedcom recieved as e-mail attachment 5 November 2009). [S1027704076] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "FamilySearch Family Tree," database, FamilySearch , ((https://www.familysearch.org)), accessed 3 Oct 2023), entry for David Gordon MacFarlane, person ID L27J-9RM.