West 2nd Street Historic DIstrict
McFarland/Sayner House
221 North Macdonald Street
Bungalow
1935
Architect Unknown
Building Unaltered
Built in 1935, by contractors Heder and Richards, for Mr.G.I. McFarland
superintendent of the Utilities Department.
Some time between 1935 and 1939 the house was owned and occupied by L.P. North, of the North Brothers Hardware Co.
In 1939 it was purchased by Gladys Bennett Sayner and Florence Bennett Peterson.
Gladys Sayner, manager of the El Portal Hotel, married William Menhennet, a banker who also served as the Secretary of the
Chamber of Commerce.
After Mrs. Menhennet’s death in 1967, her son, Walter Sayner, an engineer, became the owner of the house.
Mr. Sayner’s wife Vilda was a school teacher in Mesa. Their daughter Flavia lived there until her death in 2013.
Flavia Sayner, also known by her professional name Shaynie Aero, an actress and model, was an animal lover and animal rights advocate her entire life.
Flavia worked alongs side many famous Hollywood actors celebrities such as Bob Barker, Robert Vaughn, John Forsythe, Rikki Rockett of the band Poison, Hugh O’Brian, Jim Fowler, Patrick Wayne, Steve Allen, Gardner McKay, Max Baer, Rock Hudson,Richard Basehart, Earl Holliman, Betty White, Mary Tyler Moore, Angie Dickinson, Doris Day, Amanda Blake, Susan St. James, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Jayne Meadows.
She received awards from both PETA and in Defense of Animals. She founded Animal Commandos, her own animal protection organization in 1997 and had been a co-director of Last Chance for Animals Arizona. Flavia wrote and published poetry to help animals.