Steve McFarland

Mike H

Mike H

Well-known member
I am very sad to report that Steve McFarland (KAGGR#1 here) passed away on Thursday, 29 January. Steve was suffering from various health issues for quite a while.

I first met Steve in 1994 when I met him at his house to buy some display cabinets. He had them custom made for his collection but was no longer in need. I was not into Imperial collecting at that time but was overwhelmed by what he had then. We saw each other, off and on over the years at the Show of Shows in Louisville but became closer once I started Imperial collecting in recent years. I was very, very lucky to live near him, making seeing him personally very easy as well as frequent. I made dozens of trips to his home over the past five years. It was always a treat -- not only to see his collection but to listen to his vast collection of memories, stories, and experiences. He also sent me in the right direction for my first Pickelhaube purchase (a Baden Pionier that is still one of my favorites). I knew very little about Imperial items at the time but he was a constant source of information.

He also steered me to this Forum and I was amazed, over these years, at the number of posts he made and pictures he provided us. He was always inquisitive and willing to learn and to share. We will sorely miss him here.

I saw him just a few days before Show of Shows and he tasked me with buying a couple of books for him there, which I did. Sadly, I was never able to deliver them.

My condolences to all of his many friends and acquaintances in the hobby.

Mike
 
Mike H said:
I am very sad to report that Steve McFarland (KAGGR#1 here) passed away on Thursday, 29 January. Steve was suffering from various health issues for quite a while.

I first met Steve in 1994 when I met him at his house to buy some display cabinets. He had them custom made for his collection but was no longer in need. I was not into Imperial collecting at that time but was overwhelmed by what he had then. We saw each other, off and on over the years at the Show of Shows in Louisville but became closer once I started Imperial collecting in recent years. I was very, very lucky to live near him, making seeing him personally very easy as well as frequent. I made dozens of trips to his home over the past five years. It was always a treat -- not only to see his collection but to listen to his vast collection of memories, stories, and experiences. He also sent me in the right direction for my first Pickelhaube purchase (a Baden Pionier that is still one of my favorites). I knew very little about Imperial items at the time but he was a constant source of information.

He also steered me to this Forum and I was amazed, over these years, at the number of posts he made and pictures he provided us. He was always inquisitive and willing to learn and to share. We will sorely miss him here.

I saw him just a few days before Show of Shows and he tasked me with buying a couple of books for him there, which I did. Sadly, I was never able to deliver them.

My condolences to all of his many friends and acquaintances in the hobby.

Mike
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Oh, that is very sad news.

My sincere condolences to his family.

He was a great guy, and I always greatly appreciated his contributions and his knowledge. His collection was beyond imagination. I am very sad.

GardeUlan
 
What terrible news.
We had a quick chat in January because I hadn't heard from him in so long, and he only complained of a nerve block...

My condolences to the family.

Steve, you will be missed, my friend.
Rest in peace.

Sander
 
Steve was one of a kind. He was most knowledgeable and his stories about collectors stretched back to the 1960s. I dont believe he ever forgot any event or fellow collector. We conducted many deals over these last 20 years. A friend, he will be missed. Rest in Peace, Steve.
 
So sorry to hear about Steve's sudden passing. He was a great guy, and one of the last remaining connections to my Grandfather. He was a true gentleman with a wealth of knowledge on many subjects and always full of great stories.

Steve, you will be missed!
 
This is sad day for sure. I was talking to Steve many times 2 or 3 weeks ago, I was supposed to stop by his house this week to see his collection as I was driving by on my way to Florida. then the communication stopped, now I know why.

Steve's son was kind enough to reach out to me this morning to let me know what happened.

Best to his family!

James
 
I actually just logged in so I could send him a PM to see how he was doing since I haven't seen a post from him in some which was concerning,

I'm totally shocked to hear this, he will certainly be missed, what terrible news, He was a true inspiration to me personally.

My heartfelt condolences to his family.
 
Was just conversing with him not long ago over email and saw he hadn’t been online in a bit. Very sad news. Condolences to his close friends on here and his family.
 
Absolutely sad news. May Steve rest in peace, my deepest condolences to his family.
A truly great and knowledgeable senior collector who will be deeply and forever missed. Although I never had the chance to meet him in person, he was always incredibly active and generous, kindly answering all the questions I asked here on the forum and on Facebook. His guidance and presence meant a great deal to me, and I'm sure to many of us as well. RIP
 
My chat with Steve started August twenty-three,Ended January eleven, twenty-twenty-six.I wondered why he hadn't been online for days,
Then opened this thread—my mind's in a haze.
My journey began so timid and slow,But he treated me like family, helped me grow.He shared so freely, never held back a thing—
A true friend, the best the hobby could bring.
I once told him we'd probably never meet in person—him in the Western Hemisphere, me in the East. He just said, "That's okay."
I also told him I wished we'd met sooner. Again, he just said, "It's alright."
He showed me his collection; I shared digital art with him. Now I'm sitting here in front of the screen, staring at the news that he's gone forever. And I know—my private messages will never get a reply from him again.
I remember it clearly—he told me he wanted to go to the 2026 SOS show. That was August 28, 2025. Now it's just another thing left unfinished.
Rest in peace, Steve. This e-mourning comes to you from across the ocean.
 
What an awful way to start my day.

I'd been wondering why Steve hadn't been posting as regularly as he had been. I never had the opportunity to meet Steve in person though I wish I had. It would have been such a treat to spend a day with him and his amazing collection.

He and I had a shared interest in Kaiser/King's shooting Prizes although not surprisingly my collection paled in comparison with his. He was very inquisitive bout every nuance associated with them and was very open to sharing everything he had learned including photos, articles etc.

This forum and the collecting world will be diminished by his absence undoubtedly.

My condolences to Steve’s family.
 
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