John MacFarlane

John “JD” MacFarlane was born in Pueblo, CO on October 4 th , 1933 and passed away in Denver on Februarly 16 th , 2023. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Janet, his three children Jennifer, John, and Andrew, and seven grandchildren.

JD was a leader and devoted public servant for his entire career. He represented Pueblo in the Colorado General Assembly, was elected the 33 rd Colorado Attorney General in 1974, serving two terms (1975-83), and later served as Manager of Safety for the City of Denver. Current Attorney General Phil Weiser offered this statement on his passing:

“J.D. MacFarlane was a path-making leader in Colorado. As attorney general, he invented the idea that the Colorado attorney general should serve as the People’s Lawyer, and he built the modern Colorado Department of Law. He attracted an incredibly talented team, recruited diverse lawyers, and appointed some of the first women to serve in senior positions at the department – including Jean Dubofsky and Mary Mullarkey, who went on to serve as Colorado Supreme Court Justices. J.D. also mentored generations of public servants, including myself, and set a standard of excellence that we will continue to strive to meet. His memory will live on as a blessing.”

A memorial service celebrating JD’s life is planned for Friday, June 9 at 4pm at the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center, with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the JD MacFarlane Scholarship Fund at Colorado Law, established to provide scholarships to law students who demonstrate a commitment to Public Service.

JD MacFarlane Endowed Scholarship Fund | CU Boulder | Giving to CU (https://giving.cu.edu/fund/jd-macfarlane-endowed-scholarship-fund)