In Loving Memory of Ruby McFarland, Longtime Dayton Resident
It is time to provide the life story of Ruby McFarland, one of Dayton's longtime residents, an active member of the Historical Society of Dayton Valley, and the lead docent at the Dayton Museum for years. Sadly, Ruby passed away at the age of 97 at the VA Hospital in Reno on Oct. 15, 2025. A celebration of her life was held on Jan. 17 at the Dayton Museum, a site she truly loved.
All in all, Ruby led an exciting life: Ruby was born in Santa Rosa, Calif., and said she was curious from the day she was born, noting, "No tree was too tall to climb, no mountain too rough to scale and no river too swift to swim." Raised in an abusive home during her earliest years, Ruby was placed in a foster home when she was in high school. She described her new parents as "the best parents ever."
She also attended Santa Rosa Junior College. While her parents wanted her to be a plant pathologist, she was attracted to engineering. Despite their worries, Ruby obtained a job working part time as a draftsman. After graduating from Junior College, Ruby went to San Antonio, Texas, to marry her high school boyfriend and while here, she apprenticed as an aerial photograph interpreter, drafting maps for oil companies. Later, she attended the University of Kansas and worked for Hercules Powder Co. in Sunflower.
"It was fun because I trained to take dignitaries through the ballistics areas to show them solid-rocket fuel action," she noted in her memoirs.
Returning to California, she joined the U.S. Air Force and learned graphic arts skills. After leaving the Air Force, Ruby worked for engineers in San Francisco. She soon joined the Army Reserves and later began working for the City of Santa Rosa's Planning Department while taking City and Regional Planning classes through the University of California at Berkeley. This led to another engineering job for the Sonoma County Flood Control District, where she designed two regional parks. By now, Ruby was ready for a change in pace. She opened an art gallery and additional businesses in Susanville, Calif., including a beauty salon and said: "It turned out, I was not Superwoman at all—I lost everything!"So, she moved again, this time to South Lake Tahoe, working first as an executive housekeeper and then, an engineer, finally, at Harvey's Casino as an in-house architect.
However, when it was time to retire, she chose Dayton: "I did not intend to work again, but the Dayton Senior Center needed expansion so I designed the addition. Because Lyon County liked my work, I designed the welfare office at Silver Springs, a kitchen for the county jail in Yerington and the Fernley Senior Center addition.
However, as what happens to the best of us as time marches on, Ruby developed macular degeneration and glaucoma and noted: "I had to give up design work." Yet, she kept going, volunteering time to the community. She served on the Dayton Town Board, Parks and Recreation, the Lyon County Master Plan and the Historical Society of Dayton Valley.
On her 86th birthday, she decided to retire, noting: "I have slowed to a crawl due to my eyesight, aches and pains, but I will always be glad I've had the opportunity to do what I have done over the years."
I am sure Ruby is finally resting in peace now and she will never be forgotten.
