Mason Burnett McFarland, known for his loving spirit, spectacular wit and unending generosity, died Jan. 21, 2021, in Plano, Texas. He departed for a much better world far too early, leaving behind untold loved ones crushed to lose him yet thankful he is with God and at peace.
Mason was born May 4, 1999, in Plano. He was a large, loud baby – not surprising to anyone who knew him as the gregarious, 6-foot-4 adult.
Before his first birthday, Mason's family moved to Spokane, Washington. He loved spending time with grandparents and other relatives. The little Texan was awed by all sorts of things he’d never seen: snow, mountains and clear blue rivers and lakes. Indoors, he was all about Thomas the Tank Engine, watching endless videos and playing with trains and cars for hours. (The cars typically were driven by dried-out Play-Doh creatures.)
His family moved back to Texas when he was 2, and he always considered the family house in Frisco his true home. He went to Rogers Elementary, where he made plenty of friends and developed a passion for Pokémon. Weekends were filled with sleepovers, fun at the pool with his cousins and movies. Most Saturdays, he went to McDonald’s (or a donut place) with his dad before picking up movies and snacks at Blockbuster. Summers were highlighted by long days of terrifying slides at Hawaiian Falls with his mom, Aunt Kelly, brother Riley, and cousins Kalvin and Katherine.
While attending Staley Middle School, Mason made more friends and found a lifelong passion: high-end sneakers. Not only did he love wearing them and collecting them, he started his own money-making venture with them. He knew every detail about the shoes and the shoe business, so he would buy shoes when he spotted a deal, then sell them for profit. He kept this gig up to some degree the rest of his life. And, of course, he always wore just the right shoes.
During his years at Wakeland High School, Mason landed a catering job with the Frisco RoughRiders baseball team. His supervisors were so struck by his work ethic and enthusiasm that he was soon working in the high-end corporate suites. He was even asked to cater at American Airlines Center in Dallas for several consecutive nights of Garth Brooks concerts. Mason loved music but did not like country music one bit, which made it hilarious to family and friends that the experience left him mumbling twangy Garth Brooks lyrics for days. Mason worked for the RoughRiders every season for years – and was to take on much more responsibility in the 2020 season, only to have it canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mason ran cross country at Wakeland for two years. He loved running, but not racing; he greatly valued the many lasting friendships he made with teammates. Mason ran in several 10K races and half marathons, too. One year, he ran the Triple Nickel race and finished first in his age group. By far his favorite race was the Hot Chocolate 15K in Dallas – because he ran it most every year with his mom, brother, relatives and friends.
After graduating Wakeland in 2017, Mason attended Texas Tech University and Collin College. He was still figuring out his career path at the time of his death. Those closest to him knew Mason would excel at whatever he finally settled on because of his work ethic and intelligence. His impressive vocabulary often sent friends and family to Google to figure out a big word or two. And he could tell you most anything about history and politics. Mason was passionate with both his opinions and his interests.
He loved spending time with a vast network of family and friends. Many remember his caring nature, ready smile, infectious laugh and willingness to do anything for a friend. They recall his sharp wit and offbeat humor, funny comments that were usually telegraphed with a sly grin just before delivery. He also had a tendency to break out in a random dance while at work.
Mason loved cooking, and was great at it. He was a true foodie. Whether creating or consuming, his approach was the more meat, the better. His recent discovery of a new meat market was a milestone event, and he stuffed his family with meticulously prepared steak and brisket sausage. Mason’s eating exploits are legend. On one of his birthdays, Mason, his dad, brother Riley, uncle Koy and cousin Kalvin embarked on the “Fast Food Challenge.” They drove down Preston Road eating something at as many restaurants as possible. They made it to seven, with Mason and his uncle as the last men standing. Once he visited Philadelphia for just a couple days, but managed to hit all the big cheesesteak hotspots and put away a mountain of the massive sandwiches.
Mason loved animals, especially cats. He always had at least one he called his own, and his gentle nature never showed more than when he cared for them. His first favorite was Bear, a large black cat that followed him everywhere. At the breakfast table, he would dangle his feet and run his toes through her fur as she sat beneath his chair.
Another interest was tattoos. He was fascinated with them as a kid and as an adult gradually added a colorful display across his right arm and chest. Each was meaningful. His shoulder was covered with a baseball autographed by Mike Trout – not because Mason was a huge baseball fan, but because his brother idolized Trout. Mason was planning to add a large cross. He also planned to add a ladybug that symbolized a special conversation with his mom.
His first tattoo was one of the blue puzzle pieces representing autism – a tattoo that many family members are now planning to get (including some who had never imagined doing such a thing before).
Mason was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at a very young age. This form of autism affected his ability to interact with people, read social cues, feel comfortable in groups or hold back on some whims. He decided very early on that he would just fight through it – and he often did so successfully. The relationships he developed, his successes at work and his immersion in everything that interested him are examples of his ability to cope with his condition. But, as is the case with many people who have autism, at times it proved difficult and frustrating. He turned to substances to combat that pain and began to struggle with addiction, a problem greatly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
But he fought through addiction, too. After every setback, his deep desire to get on track emerged and he pushed himself back in the right direction. Mason would want those facts about his life told here because he didn’t believe autism, substance abuse or mental health should be stigmatized. And he always wanted to help people with those issues, even when he himself was struggling.
One example of this selflessness came on a recent Saturday when he and his friend Andre gathered clothing, food and blankets and drove to Dallas to hand them out to people who are homeless. The event moved him deeply, and he wished he could do more.
Family was very important to Mason. He and his mom constantly texted favorite songs back and forth, and she took him to his first concert. They loved trying out new restaurants together or sneaking out for sugary treats on laugh-filled jaunts. Mason shared a love of wordplay with his dad, and they’d often swap funny observations about the world. Mason and his brother Riley were extremely close, spending countless hours playing video games, watching TV and movies, and making up all sorts of games and activities. Mason could often be heard boasting to friends about his great kid brother or encouraging Riley to always do the right thing.
Mason loved visiting his larger family across the country. Just a handful of the many cherished memories include hitting Disneyland with his Aunt Tracy and cousins Josie and Dominic; flying around behind the back of the boat driven maniacally by his grandfather Gale, and chowing down on whatever delicious spread Patti prepared after; strolling through Riverside Park, jumping on rickety rides, and laughing and talking with grandparents Cindy and Steve; wandering along the Seattle waterfront and goofing around with his Uncle Steve, Aunt Sara and cousin Ben; and spending a day at the beach with his cousin Laura, Uncle Kevin and Aunt Mary.
His family is grateful for the far-too-brief time with Mason. The last six months in particular were special, filled with lighthearted laughter (and Mason’s great cooking). Because of the pandemic, the recent holiday season was an intimate time with just Mason, his parents and his brother. Memories of their last holidays together are now lifelong treasures.
Another gift to the family was a Labor Day excursion to Port Aransas. Going to the beach and “eating like kings” was the only agenda for each day. It was a long weekend of laughs and fun. And Mason enjoyed being in a location filled with plenty of other happy memories; this beach was a regular stop during his annual trip to the Texas Gulf with his Uncle Koy and his cousin Kalvin. The trio sought out the finest Texas barbecue along the way.
Throughout Mason’s life, one thing was constant: His faith in God. Mason was skeptical and critical of a lot of things – usually in somewhat hilarious fashion – but the one thing he never doubted was God’s love.
That is a great comfort to the people who love him, as they suffer unimaginable grief and wonder how they can move through life bearing the gaping wound of Mason’s absence: They know Mason is happier than he ever could be in this world; that he feels no pain and has no problems; that he only experiences a love and peace so great we cannot understand it in this life; and that he is waiting there for us.
Mason is survived by his parents, John and Lori McFarland, of Frisco, Texas; his brother Riley, of Frisco; his aunt and uncle Steve and Sara Burnett of Everett, Washington; his cousin Benjamin Burnett of Everett; his aunt and uncle Tracy and Wayne Carpini of Whitefish, Montana; his cousin Josie Garcia of Eldorado Hills, California; his cousin Dominic Carpini of Phoenix; his aunt and uncle, Koy and Kelly Eddleman, of Highland Village, Texas; his cousins Kalvin Eddleman and Katherine Eddleman of Highland Village; his uncle and aunt Kevin and Mary McFarland of Clayton, California; his cousin Laura McFarland of Clayton; his uncle Mike Black of Spokane; his cousins Austin Black and Kailey Black of Spokane; his uncle Chris Black of Spokane; his cousin Andrew Black of Spokane; his grandparents Gale and Patti Burnett of Spokane; Steve and Cindy LaPointe of Spokane; and Steve and Carol Black of Spokane.
He also is survived by numerous other relatives and friends across the country too long to list.
You can watch his Feb. 4 memorial
here. (The service starts at about the 11:50 mark of the video.)
On May 4, 2021, Mason's birthday, friends and family gathered at Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco to celebrate him and to honor him by helping people who are homeless.
Truckloads and carloads of food, water and supplies were gathered, and more than $18,000 was raised to benefit Vogel Alcove, which helps families; and The Bridge, which helps transition people into homes; and Mason's group of friends who have delivered food and supplies to homeless people for the past two years.
